Dhaka, July 13 -- Tobacco claims nearly 161,000 lives each year in Bangladesh and a rapid amendment of the existing Tobacco Control (TC) law is a must to put an end to this massive number of premature deaths.
The demand came on Saturday at a press conference organized by 19 anti-tobacco organizations that took place at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
Speakers said that tobacco is a major contributing factor in cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NDCs). Currently, 71 percent of all deaths in Bangladesh are caused by NCDs. Against this backdrop, without strengthening the country's tobacco control laws, it is impossible for Bangladesh to achieve SDG Target 3.4 which is to reduce premature...