THE NEWS DESK:
Anti-tobacco campaigners at a regional meeting here on Thursday blamed different tobacco companies for allegedly violating the mandatory tobacco control laws. They put special importance on strict enforcement of the amended Tobacco Control Act (TCA) and Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act for saving public health from tobacco catastrophe.
They made these observations at the regional meeting organised by Anti Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) with assistance of Association for Community Development (ACD) at Rangapur Shahityya Parisad auditorium in the city.
The ATMA member-journalists of the print, electronic and online media from allover Rangpur region participated in the meeting with ATMA member Manik Sarker Manik in the chair.
Journalist members of ATMA Mahbubul Islam, Abdul Wahed, Harun-Ar-Rashid Badal, Asaduzzaman Asad, Programme Officer of ACD Taufikul Islam, among others, addressed.
Project Coordinator of ACD Ehsanul Amin Emon narrated about violation of the amended TCA, health hazards of smoking in public places and success achieved so far by ATMA in the anti- tobacco campaign. Citing their recent survey reports, he blamed some tobacco companies of Rangpur region for not exhibiting mandatory pictorial warnings on packets of tobacco products like ‘Jorda’ and ‘Gul’, ‘bidi’ and cigarette.
The participants said some tobacco companies were attracting smokers and non-smokers by tactfully conducting publicity and marketing tobacco products without or partially exhibiting mandatory pictorial winnings on packets violating tobacco control laws. Manik Sarker Manik laid emphasis on strengthening media reporting on violation of tobacco control laws by different tobacco companies and stressed on ensuring mandatory pictorial warnings on packets of all tobacco products before marketing those.
