Bangladeshi youth protest: urging revision of tobacco control laws, suggesting banning smoking areas and tobacco displays

Key points:

·Protest Background and Demands: The DORP Youth Forum organized a protest in front of the National Board of Revenue building in Dhaka, with the demand to urge the government to quickly enact new anti-smoking laws, eliminate the influence of tobacco companies on anti-smoking policies, and achieve the goal of a "Tobacco-Free Bangladesh." 

·Tobacco harm data: Statistics show that 161,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases in Bangladesh every year, with an average of 442 deaths per day. 

·Advocates are also concerned about the increasing smoking rate among young people, which they believe poses a threat to the country's future. 

·Protest against key controversial events: Explicitly opposing recent meetings between advisory committees and tobacco companies, pointing out that this action flagrantly violates Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and emphasizing that as a signatory country to the convention, Bangladesh has a responsibility to maintain anti-smoking policies free from tobacco industry interference. 

·Focus on six specific anti-smoking recommendations: The protest activities revolve around specific demands for the revision of anti-tobacco laws, including a comprehensive ban on smoking in public places, banning the display of tobacco sales outlets, banning tobacco companies' CSR activities, preventing harm from e-cigarettes to minors, banning the retail sale of loose tobacco, and increasing the size of warning images on packaging from 50% to 90%.

2Firsts, September 24, 2025 - According to Bangla Mirror News on September 23, the DORP Youth Forum, a youth organization under the Bangladesh Rural Development Organization, recently organized a human chain protest in front of the National Board of Revenue building in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They called on the government to quickly enact new anti-smoking laws to eliminate the influence of tobacco companies.

Advocates point out that the proposed revisions are crucial for achieving a smoke-free Bangladesh and protecting future generations. Statistics show that annually, 161,000 people die in Bangladesh due to tobacco-related diseases, which means an average of 442 people die from such illnesses every day.

Advocates are expressing concern over the rising smoking rates among young people, believing it to be a threat to the country's future. They specifically oppose the recent meeting between the advisory committee and tobacco companies, condemning it as a blatant violation of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Advocates emphasize that as a signatory of the Convention, Bangladesh has a responsibility to maintain tobacco control policies free from industry influence. The protests focus on six proposals in the draft revision, including a complete ban on designated smoking areas in public places and public transport, prohibiting the display of tobacco products at points of sale to curb indirect advertising, preventing tobacco companies from engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to prevent disguised advertising, protecting young people from the harms of e-cigarettes, prohibiting retail and bulk sales of tobacco products, and increasing the size of warning images on tobacco packaging from 50% to 90%.

The event attracted over a hundred anti-smoking youth advocates from institutions including Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, and Jagannath University. After the protest, the DORP Youth Forum submitted a detailed memorandum to the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue outlining their demands.