Smoking in public places
The letter entitled 'Smoking in public places' published in The Daily Star on April 3 has drawn my attention for a raft of reasons.
The writer seems to have made wholesale allegations against smokers. When it comes to smoking in public places, it seems to me that there has been a serious lack of understanding among the general public.
Tobacco Control Act explicitly defines that 'public place' means educational institutions, government, semi-government and offices of autonomous bodies, libraries, elevators, hospitals, clinics, court buildings, airport buildings, sea-port buildings, river-port buildings, railway station buildings, bus-terminal buildings, ferry, cinema hall, covered showing place, theatre hall, shopping buildings, public toilet, children's park maintained under the supervision of the government or public, and such other places as may be determined by the government, by notification in the Official Gazette.
However, people can surely smoke in designated smoking zones in these public places.
It is not mentioned anywhere in the law that a smoker cannot smoke standing in an open footpath or in roadside tea-stall. Many people, not knowing the law properly, seem to point finger bluntly at a person who might be smoking in a legitimate area, which is his/her right.
The writer also unnecessarily tried in vain to portray the violation of law as a political issue. As the tobacco control act was enacted in the country only in 2005, there is no sense in saying that the violation of tobacco laws re-started in 2001.
I think people should understand the law properly before pointing finger to others. Bangladesh does have a very strong tobacco control act compared to our neighbouring countries and law enforcers are doing a good job for implementation of the law, which came into effect only three years ago.
Considering all these, is it fair to compare a smoker with a terrorist?
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