Smoking causes 57,000 deaths every year
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Nearly 57,000 people die every year and 0.382 million (3.82 lakh) lose their working power because of smoking in the country, reports BSS.
The government expenditure for health surpasses the revenues earned from tobacco companies.
This was revealed at a daylong workshop organised by Work for A Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, at Wing Centre in the city Saturday, a press release said.
Executive Director of WBB Trust Saifuddin Ahmed presided over the workshop, also addressed by Executive Director of RAAC ATM Shahidul Islam and President of Manobik M Rafiqul Islam Milon, among others.
Speakers underlined the need for implementing the anti-smoking law strictly to reduce health hazards as well as expenditure in the health sector.
They said `zarda', `gul', `sada pata' and `khaini' should be brought under the purview of the law as tobacco products because they cause health hazards too.
They recommended imposing fine and one-year imprisonment for running illegal tobacco advertisements or both. They also suggested giving pictorial tobacco health warning on tobacco packets and increasing tobacco tax rate.
Representatives from 45 organisations of Dhaka division attended the workshop.
The government expenditure for health surpasses the revenues earned from tobacco companies.
This was revealed at a daylong workshop organised by Work for A Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, at Wing Centre in the city Saturday, a press release said.
Executive Director of WBB Trust Saifuddin Ahmed presided over the workshop, also addressed by Executive Director of RAAC ATM Shahidul Islam and President of Manobik M Rafiqul Islam Milon, among others.
Speakers underlined the need for implementing the anti-smoking law strictly to reduce health hazards as well as expenditure in the health sector.
They said `zarda', `gul', `sada pata' and `khaini' should be brought under the purview of the law as tobacco products because they cause health hazards too.
They recommended imposing fine and one-year imprisonment for running illegal tobacco advertisements or both. They also suggested giving pictorial tobacco health warning on tobacco packets and increasing tobacco tax rate.
Representatives from 45 organisations of Dhaka division attended the workshop.