Why smoking in public places not being stopped

The High Court yesterday issued a rule upon the government to explain in four weeks why it should not be directed to enforce two sections of the tobacco control act to stop smoking in public places.

The bench of Justice Quamrul Islam Siddique and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil came up with the rule following a writ petition.

Secretaries to the ministries of health, law, and home, and the director general of Directorate General of Health Services, inspector general of police and the director general of the department of narcotics control have been made respondents to the rule, Deputy Attorney General Mokhlesur Rahman told The Daily Star.

Supreme Court lawyer Shammi Akhter recently filed the petition saying owners, caretakers or controllers, and managers of public places and transports will have to mark a separate smoking zone there as per section 7 of the act.

As per section 8, they will have to put up signboards asking people to refrain from smoking in public places, and mentioning that smoking in such places is a punishable offence, she said.

The authorities concerned are also violating the provisions of the law by not taking necessary steps to stop smoking in public places, she added in the petition.

JR Khan Robin appeared for the petitioner.