Call to uphold global tobacco treaty

Tobacco companies are the biggest threat to tobacco control efforts in the country, as they are violating the Tobacco Control Act 2005 and the global tobacco treaty, speakers at a press conference said yesterday.
They also called on the government to take steps to uphold the global tobacco treaty.
Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) organised the press conference at its auditorium in the city in association with Corporate Accountability International and Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnational (NATT) to mark the 9th International Week of Resistance to Tobacco Transnationals.
Presided over by DAM President Kazi Rafiqul Alam, the press conference was attended by Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital Managing Director M Fazlur Rahman, Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) General Secretary Kazi Faruq and Welfare Association of Cancer Care General Secretary Kuheli Mustafa.
The speakers criticised the big tobacco companies for aggressively promoting their products by flouting public health policies. But no legal action has been taken against them, they added.
They said the tobacco companies are distributing gift items, posters, stickers, leaflets and promotional products and sponsoring various events, which are threatening the anti-tobacco campaign.
'The 2008 Global Tobacco Treaty Action Guide: Protecting Against Tobacco Industry Interference' was also released at the press conference as part of the international release of the action guide.