Tobacco Control Act
'Flaws in law obstacle to enforcement'
Implementation of the tobacco control act could not be ensured effectively due to some loopholes in the law, observes a panel study of a committee of the Bangladesh Bar Council.
Pointing out that The Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005 does not comply with the international obligations imposed by World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), says the study suggesting amendment to the act.
Human Rights and Legal Aid Committee of the council conducted the face-to-face cohort study tilled International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey on 2,510 adult smokers and 2,116 adult non-smokers selected from 80 villages and wards of the country.
The committee organised a press conference to disclose the preliminary findings of the study at Bar Council Building in the city yesterday.
Dr Shahdeen Malik, advocate of the Supreme Court, supervised the observational study.
In absence of provisions to protect passive smokers in the act and failing to put effective restrictions on commercial sponsorships and advertisements, the act could not be implemented effectively, observes the study.
The ratio of tobacco use has increased in the last five years and now there are about 8.7 million people are using tobacco products.
Vice chairman of the council A Baset Majumdar said the law should be amended as it bars people from filing cases in the court directly.
The study report would be given to the law ministry and the information ministry to help take necessary steps to revise it, said the organisers.
Members of the council were also present.
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