The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has been declared a 100% smoke and tobacco-free zone in accordance with national guidelines to protect public health and safeguard non-smokers from the harmful effects of passive smoking.
Md Hazrat Ali, director (Horticulture wing) of DAE, made the formal announcement on Tuesday during an exchange meeting titled “Declaration of Department of Agricultural Extension as 100% Smoke and Tobacco-Free” held at its conference room.
Speaking as the chief guest, the director mentioned that the hazards of smoking are equally risky for non-smokers as they are for smokers. He further noted that smokeless tobacco products are a serious threat to public health, causing various complications including oral cancer.
Consequently, the use, sale, and promotion of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, bidis, jarda, gul, and sadapata, are now strictly prohibited across all DAE office premises. The decision aims to protect officials, employees, and service-seekers from the detrimental impacts of second-hand smoke.
In his welcome address, AHM Nouman, founder and CEO of DORP, highlighted that Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest tobacco consumers.
He noted that Bangladesh has the highest tobacco use rate in South Asia at 35.3%, compared to 28.6% in India and 19.1% in Pakistan, making effective tobacco control measures an urgent necessity.
Presenting the keynote paper, Zeba Afroza, Tobacco Control Project coordinator at DORP, shared data from GATS 2017, revealing that 3.84 crore adults in Bangladesh are victims of passive smoking daily in workplaces, public spaces, and transport.
Approximately 42.7% of adults face second-hand smoke in indoor workplaces, and over 61,000 children under the age of 15 suffer from related diseases.
Citing research from Johns Hopkins University, the keynote stated that while the government earned around Tk41,000 crore in revenue from the tobacco sector in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
The financial cost of deaths, health loss, and environmental damage caused by tobacco reached Tk 87,000 crore – more than double the revenue earned.
Tobacco cultivation occupies vast amounts of arable land, reducing food production and depleting soil fertility due to excessive chemical and pesticide use.
Salma Laiju, director (Crops wing) of DAE, who chaired the meeting, affirmed the department’s commitment to ensuring a tobacco-free environment.
She noted that approximately 86,000 officials and employees across 600 DAE offices, along with numerous farmers seeking services daily, will benefit from this protection.
Following the meeting, anti-tobacco public notices, signboards, and stickers were installed at prominent locations throughout the department’s premises.
