Tobacco farming
We know that a huge number of people suffer from and die of cancer and other diseases due to puffing cigarette, bidi and consuming zorda etc with betel leaves. Due to increasing publicity against smoking, the number of smokers is decreasing in the developed countries, whereas the same is on the increase in poor and developing countries.
In Bangladesh the government has banned the advertisement of cigarettes in print and press media and a warning against smoking is printed on every packet of cigarette. Smokers are to pay fine if they smoke in public places, although the fine is very paltry (TK.50) and the law is not strict.
Besides some local companies, a multi-national company is involved in producing and marketing some brand of cigarettes in our country. About 45% tobacco is grown in Rangpur, the rest is grown in Kushtia, Faridpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Barisal, Jessore, Rajshahi and Sylhet districts. Tobacco is grown on about 72,000 acres of land and our total yearly production is about 40,000 metric tonnes. We have to import tobacco from other countries worth about TK. 10 crore every year.
For the deficit of local demand tobacco farming area is expanding. Now it is grown in hilly areas. Recently, some NGOs expressed their concern about this in a gathering in Press Club. Our agricultural land area is shrinking by 1% every year due to construction of houses and other development activities. If tobacco farming expands, we will face more problems in future, no doubt.
The government gets some cash money as excise duty from this sector. It is a direct income. But people have to pay much more money for treating smoking related diseases. So, finally the country incurs a heavy loss. It is high time to ban all tobacco farming like the ban on advertisements. We want a tobacco free Bangladesh.
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