Anti-tobacco groups react angrily to law ministry’s reported decision on pictorial warning

Twelve anti-tobacco groups have reacted angrily over the law ministry’s reported decision to allow companies to print the graphic warning in the lower part of the pack.

In a joint statement they said on Monday that the law ministry sent a note to the health ministry in this regard on Sunday, a day after the health minister vowed to introduce on time pictorial health warnings on “the upper half” of the tobacco packs.

The deadline to introduce the graphic warning is Mar 19.

The companies were lobbying to change the decision of printing the picture in the upper half of the packs since 2015, when the rules of the tobacco control law was issued.

National Heart Foundation, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, ACD, YPSA, Simantik, Ubinig, EC Bangladesh, WBB Trust, NATAB, Prottasha, AID Foundation and Progga in the joint statement said their apprehension came true.

They were surprised that the law ministry gave this nod even after the gazette notification. The gazette issued last year gave tobacco companies a year to introduce the pictorial health messages on the upper half of the tobacco packs.

They said the law ministry served the interest of the tobacco companies, ignoring public health.

Activists told bdnews24.com that the health ministry will now have to take the final decision.

The 12 organisations said they would be on the street till Mar 16 to press home their demand. They began road show on Monday.

Tobacco companies wanted to print the pictorial warning on the lower half of the pack so that they draw less attention.