Nurul Islam Moni, chief whip of national parliament has said that the present government is highly sincere regarding tobacco control.
He asserted that while it may not be possible to completely eradicate tobacco products, their usage will not be allowed to increase any further.
He made these remarks on Saturday during a discussion meeting on tobacco control laws organised by the Anti-tobacco Alliance of Women (TABINAZ) and UBINIG.
Chief whip noted that although the government intends to control tobacco, various vested interest groups involved in the sector do not want such measures. He further commented that tobacco companies are causing severe damage to public health under the guise of clever advertisements for tree-planting.
Moni highlighted that it was the BNP government which first enacted the tobacco control law in 2005, subsequently banning advertisements for cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Describing the current prime minister as being extremely sensitive to this issue, he advised stakeholders to write to the prime minister to advocate for a stronger tobacco control law.
Additionally, the chief whip called upon tobacco farmers to transition to the cultivation of other profitable crops as an alternative to tobacco.
