National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) & Dhaka Ahsania Mission jointly organised a meeting on March 3, 2022 in the conference room of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

In the meeting, the chief guest,  Lokman Hossain Miah, Senior Secretary, Health Services Division (HSD), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare unveiled the cover of the book ‘Tamak Sarun, Sustho Thakun’ (‘Quit Tobacco, Stay Healthy’) written by Iqbal Masud, Director, Health and WASH Sector, Dhaka Ahsania Mission. Senior Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and Additional Secretary (World Health) Kazi Zebunnessa Begum thanked Iqbal Masud for writing the book ‘Tamak Sarun, Sustho Thakun’ (‘Quit Tobacco, Stay Healthy’) and hoped that the book would be helpful for those who want to quit tobacco. 

During the meeting, Senior Secretary said “amendments to the Tobacco Control Act will be finalised soon”. He also expressed that the position of the Prime Minister against drugs is zero tolerance. The first step into a drug disorder is smoking, that is why we are working to control tobacco. Therefore, the task of amending the tobacco control law is at its last stage and will be finalised in the near future. This measure will contribute to the fulfilment of the promise of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040.

Joint Secretary (World Health), HSD Nilufer Nazneen, National Professional Officer of WHO Dr. Syed Mahfuzul Huq, Founder President of Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse (MANAS) Prof. Dr. Arup Ratan Choudhury, Head of Programs of Vital Strategies, Bangladesh Md. Shafiqul Islam, Country Coordinator of Global Health Advocacy Incubator Muhammad Ruhul Kuddus, Director of Health and WASH Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Iqbal Masud and others spoke in the meeting. Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, Additional Secretary (World Health), Health Services Division chaired the meeting.