Bangladesh changes graphic health warning rules in tobacco packs

The government has ordered tobacco companies in Bangladesh to print graphic health warnings on the upper half of tobacco packs from Sep 19 changing the earlier order.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 July 2017, 12:43 PM
Updated : 6 July 2017, 01:39 PM

The health ministry on Thursday said the National Tobacco Control Cell or NTCC issued a notice to enforce the new rules.

It followed a court battle.

Anti-tobacco groups praised the government for the decision and said “continuous efforts” from activists and media, particularly the anti-tobacco media alliance, ATMA, paid off.

The Section 10 of the tobacco control law makes it mandatory to print graphic warnings covering 50 percent upper space of packs, but the law ministry issued a temporary permission on printing that on the lower half after the interference from Bangladesh Cigarette Manufacturers’ Association or BCMA.

The NTCC issued a public notice over the matter on March 16 last year.

Then the anti-tobacco organisations expressed their resentment on the “illegal” decision from the law ministry.

Later, private organisation UBINIG, PROGGA and anti-drug organisation Protyasha lodged a writ petition with the High Court.

The HC issued a rule on Sep 8 asking why the ‘public notice’ should not be declared illegal and also ordered for further proceeding with the petition on Nov 2 agenda.

But a group called Action on Smoking and Health Bangladesh (ASH Bangladesh) stepped in and filed a writ petition with the HC in Jan following which the rule was halted.

As ASH Bangladesh failed to present necessary logic and evidence against its claim, later the court rejected the appeal paving the way for the latest notice.

Anti-tobacco groups insist on printing graphic warnings on the upper half as it draws more attention.

Estimates suggest that 57,000 people die of tobacco-related illnesses a year, and that nearly 300,000 suffer from related disabilities in Bangladesh, where nearly 45 percent of the population aged 15 and above consume tobacco in some form.

In a statement on Thursday, PROGGA said continuous efforts by anti-tobacco control activists and media, "particularly the firm stance from ATMA" played an important role to achieve it.

It also lauded the health ministry and NTCC for its positive attempts.