Tobacco companies still advertise violating rules

Although the tobacco control act prohibits any advertisement or sponsorship by tobacco companies, several companies are still using their logo and colour defying the law, said State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mujibur Rahman Fakir.
The theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day is “Ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship”, he said.
“It is common knowledge that tobacco companies influence tobacco control around the world. In the name of social responsibilities, they conduct public welfare programmes to garner public sympathy,” he added.
The state minister made the remarks at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare yesterday in the capital.
Although World No Tobacco Day is observed on May 31 around the world, the national programme observing the day in Bangladesh will be held on June 11 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital, he informed.
Realising the consequences of tobacco consumption, its use in the developed countries is declining but increasing in the lower and mid-income countries, he said.
Referring to the tobacco control act that was amended earlier on April 29, he said fine for smoking in public places has been raised from Tk 50 to Tk 300. Workplaces with a roof, walled restaurants and fairs are included in the definition of public places in the act.
To reduce tobacco consumption, powerful pictorial warnings covering 50 percent of the packages of tobacco products have been made mandatory in the act, he added.
According to 2009 Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 43.3 percent of Bangladeshi people over the age of 15 use tobacco and another 63 percent are victims of passive smoking at their workplaces, he stated.