The government has imposed a ban on electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, and heated tobacco products through an amendment to its tobacco control law, effectively prohibiting the production, import, export, storage, transport, sale, and promotion of these products.
The ban is based on an ordinance promulgated on 30 December 2025, amending the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act of 2005.
Under the new policy, all activities related to these items are fully prohibited, including advertising on television, newspapers, social media, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, with violations deemed a punishable offense.
Additionally, using e-cigarettes or vapes in public places or on public transport will result in financial penalties. Offenders may face up to six months in prison or fines, with repeat offenses leading to doubled penalties. Individuals caught using these products could be fined up to Tk5,000.
For businesses, the consequences are more severe, including product seizures, fines of up to Tk5 lakh, and imprisonment of up to six months for owners or officials. There is also the potential for the revocation of tobacco licenses.
Nicotine pouches are now classified as tobacco products, closing another regulatory gap.
The government treats these products not as safer alternatives but as equally harmful as conventional cigarettes, with the aim of eradicating their presence in Bangladesh.
A 2023 study in the Journal of Public Health Hygiene and Safety found that 94% of users believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than traditional cigarettes, while 74% reported no health issues. Among those who did, 45% experienced coughing, 20% high blood pressure, and 10% breathing difficulties or asthma.
The economic figures for Bangladesh’s e-cigarette and tobacco markets likely come from Statista’s market forecasts, with e-cigarettes estimated at around $102.5 million and total tobacco products valued at $6.3 billion in 2025.
Before the ban, these products were imported primarily from China and the United States and sold mainly in urban areas. While the Asia-Pacific e-cigarette market is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 1.93%, Bangladesh’s ban will limit its participation in this growth.
Usage data shows low, but varying, prevalence. According to the 2017 Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 0.2% of Bangladeshis were current e-cigarette users, with 0.4% having tried them at some point.
While smoking rates have decreased by 13% since 2009, achieving a 40% reduction by 2030 remains a significant challenge. Youth usage is on the rise, especially in universities, where 56.2% of users express a desire to quit. The ban is likely to reduce e-cigarette usage in 2026, but illicit activity may persist.
On 28 December 2024, vape importers and traders presented a memorandum to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, requesting a reversal of the import ban on e-cigarettes.
Representatives from Voice of Vapers, Consumer Rights of Sales Alternatives, and the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association argued that prohibiting electronic nicotine devices would deny adult smokers a less harmful quitting aid.
That day, stakeholders organised a human chain in Shahbagh under the slogan “Reconsider the Import Ban on Harm Reduction Products to Prevent Smoking,” advocating for regulation over outright prohibition.
