‘Tobacco kills 0.16m in BD annually’

Mentioning that some 0.16 million (1.61 lakh) people die every year due to tobacco consumption in Bangladesh, speakers at a seminar said the media should play a crucial role in countering the manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry, reports UNB.
These issues were highlighted at a discussion meeting titled "Amending the Tobacco Control Law to Protect Non-Smokers and Youth: The Role of Media in Countering Industry Interference", held in the capital on Monday. The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh organised it.
Ignoring this alarming death toll, tobacco companies obstruct amendments to the tobacco control law by emphasising revenue concerns, said speakers.
In Bangladesh, 71 per cent of total deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases, and tobacco use is a major preventable cause of these deaths.