According to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement, the young generation should come forward to implement a tobacco-free Bangladesh. Mohibbur Rahman said, to build a smart Bangladesh, the young generation should stay away from smoking.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting titled ‘Youth Conference for Tobacco Free Bangladesh’ at Sirdap Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday (February 14). The meeting was organized at the Health Protection Foundation.
Md. Mohibbur Rahman said, Bangladesh will be a developed and prosperous country in 2041. As citizens of developed countries, today’s youth must be health conscious. In that case, the anti-tobacco and anti-drug campaign should be strengthened with the participation of the youth and make themselves competent and competent.
In the speech of the special guest, the president of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. Aftab Uddin Sarkar MP said, tobacco is a harmful crop. Its cultivation and use is harmful to us. Many of our people are dying prematurely due to the use of various types of drugs including tobacco. Young people should work to build Bangabandhu’s Sonar Bangla by learning from the harm of tobacco. We have to work against tobacco with the spirit of liberation war.
In the speech of the special guest, the member of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz MP said, young people are constantly attracted to new tobacco products. Smoking is an early stage of drug addiction. Banning e-cigarettes is urgently needed to protect young people. Mass awareness and mass movement should be developed to protect public health from the harmful effects of tobacco. To save the country, necessary amendments to the Tobacco Control Act must be made and everyone must be aware.
In the speech of the special guest, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh appointed to Canada. Khalilur Rahman said that the Prime Minister has been working for a long time to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh. Our young society needs to be aware of the use of tobacco. Young people should take initiatives for timely implementation of existing tobacco control laws. They should refrain from smoking themselves and protect others from secondhand smoke.
Jagannath University (JOB) Department of Sociology Professor Dr. Rafiqul Islam said that although Bangladesh is included in the list of developing countries, the main driving force of the country’s development is the young society, which is involved in various addictions. In particular, the level of tobacco consumption has increased dramatically. If we do not ensure the good health of the young society, we will not be able to reach our desired goals. It is important to make young students aware of the harmful aspects of tobacco. In this regard, everyone including the country’s policy makers have to play a leading role.
In the discussion about the harm of tobacco, Iftekhar Mohsin, project coordinator of Health Protection Foundation, highlighted the multi-dimensional harm of tobacco and said that tobacco control should be given importance to protect public health. 67 percent of deaths in Bangladesh are caused by non-communicable diseases every year. Tobacco products are the main cause of these deaths. Therefore, strong tobacco control laws are of immense importance in protecting public health, especially young people and children and adolescents, and preventing non-communicable diseases.
Besides, at the end of the meeting, a workshop on the role of young society in tobacco control was held with the members of the Anti Tobacco Club established by the students of Jagannath University. In the workshop, the participants highlighted the role of youth in building a smoke-free Bangladesh. At the same time they pledge to work to create awareness among other students and the public.
AAM/MRM/GKS
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