The Mothers Forum Against Tobacco has called for the swift passage of the amendment to the tobacco control law to ensure the health of mothers and children. This demand was made during the formation meeting of the "Mothers Forum Against Tobacco" organized by Nari Maitree at the Krishibid Institute Bangladesh on Thursday(4July),at 11 AM.
The forum was chaired by Shaheen Akter Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree, with consisting of 15 dedicated Prominent mothers. The forum was convened by former Member of Parliament and previous member of the Women's Parliamentary Forum Against Tobacco, Shirin Nayeem Punam. Former Member of Parliament Nargis Rahman serving as co-convener in this forum.
As a Special Guest Mr. Mustafizur Rahman, lead policy advisor, campaign for tobacco free kids Bangladesh and former chairman of Bangladesh Chemical Industry Corporation was present in the event.
Md. Abdus Salam Mia, Program Manager of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Bangladesh, was also present as distinguished guest speakers.
Shaheen Akter Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree, emphasized "Tobacco poses significant health risks to women, including exposure to secondhand smoke." She also urged the Mothers Forum to advocate for the prohibition of smoking in public places, public transportation, restaurants, and all designated smoking areas.
Shirin Nayeem Punam expressed her belief that the forum members will play an essential role in creating a tobacco-free Bangladesh. She stated that, "Every day, 442 lives are lost due to tobacco. To stop this death march, this forum will tirelessly support and provide advice for the amendment of the tobacco control law.They will also keep their families free from the effects of tobacco and will talk to other mothers about this issue. The Ministry of Health promptly submits the amended law to the cabinet and our forum will also advocate strongly on social media for its approval"
Additionally, she assured that the forum would strongly demand effective taxation on tobacco products from the National Board of Revenue and the Ministry of Finance, and will take an active stand against the tactics of tobacco companies that aim to undermine the tobacco control law.
Abdus Salam Mia, Program Manager of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Bangladesh, emphasized that tobacco addiction is drawing the youth into a dark world. Children and adolescents are starting to smoke at a young age, leading to severe physical health issues and mental distress. According to the World Health Organization's ‘Global Youth Tobacco Survey,’ conducted among 13 to 15-year-olds in various countries, the highest rates of smoking addiction among adolescents are found in India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, about 12 percent of adolescents are regularly addicted to smoking.
Mustafizur Rahman said, "Secondhand smoke is extremely harmful to women. Due to secondhand smoke, women face early miscarriages, premature births, low birth weight babies, bleeding during pregnancy, and excessive bleeding during childbirth. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2017, 38.4 million people are affected by secondhand smoke, where women and children being the most harmed. Therefore, I firmly believe that the 'Mothers Forum Against Tobacco' will stand against tobacco for the future generation's health and will take strong steps to demand the speedy passage of the tobacco control law amendment."
Other forum members also urged for the swift passage of the amendment to the tobacco control law to fulfill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's commitment to creating a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040
