RAJSHAHI, May 28 (BSS): Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) is determined to keep its installations smoking free as part its commitment to make the city clean, green, healthy and educated.
For the last couple of months, none is allowed to smoke inside City Bhaban and on its premises and other offices, city hospital and urban clinics for protecting people from various chronic diseases caused by smoking.
Restriction has been imposed on selling cigarette and bidi (hand made cigarettes) from the shops in front of all educational institutions and the matter is being monitored strictly.
Ajahar Ali, chief executive officer of RCC, revealed this while addressing an advocacy meeting styled "Budget Allocation and Priority Selection towards Implementation of Tobacco Control Guideline" held at the City Bhaban seminar hall today.
RCC and Association for Communication Development (ACD) jointly organised the workshop in association with Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids and Bloomberg Philanthropic.
With Abu Bakkar Kinu, president of health standing committee of the corporation, in the chair, councilors Mustaque Hossain Ratan, Shahnaz Begum Shikha, Bilkish Banu and president of Rajshahi Press Club Anwarul Alam Fatik also spoke.
Narrating various aspects of the amended Tobacco Control Law and necessity of its successful implementation, the discussants said allocation has been kept in RCC's annual budget towards proper enforcement of the law.
They told the meeting that smoking both active and passive cause cancer of lung, throat, mouth and stomach and it also affects our heart and breathing.
Ajahar Ali asserted that the city corporation will put in its level best efforts to control smoking in public places and public transports to ensure a sound public health. He, however, said public support is very essential in this regard.
Besides, social awareness and self-rectification is very important to make the society free from the tobacco uses, the smoking in particular. He alleged that some of the tobacco companies are expanding their market promotional activities everywhere in the name of corporate social responsibilities.
