Tobacco Farming
Farmers to get interest-free loans for crop switch
The government will help tobacco farmers switch to farming alternative crops by giving them interest-free loans and incentives, said State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mojibur Rahman Fakir at a seminar yesterday.
“Tobacco companies have been encouraging farmers to cultivate tobacco openly by offering advance incentives in cash and poor farmers are taking up the offer because of money problems,” he said.
“So we will give them [farmers] interest-free loans and incentives. Several ministries have been working on this matter,” he added.
Marking the National Tobacco-free Day, Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) organised the seminar at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
The government will soon pass “Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2012” to curb the use of tobacco products through strengthening Tobacco Control Act, 2005, he said.
"Under the act, there are provisions for three months' simple imprisonment and a fine of one lakh taka for airing tobacco advertisements,” Fakir said adding that the fine for smoking in public spaces will become double from Tk 50 to Tk 100.
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