The Department of Jute will declare all its offices 100% tobacco-free, aligning with the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act 2005 (Amended 2026). Director General Syed Md. Nurul Basir announced the initiative during a discussion organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh on Tuesday.
To enforce this, the department will issue an official directive and install visible "No Smoking" signs across all premises aiming to completely eliminate second-hand smoke exposure in the workplace.
During the event, National Heart Foundation representatives shared alarming statistics regarding the country's tobacco burden. Currently 35.3% of Bangladeshi adults use tobacco, causing nearly 200,000 deaths annually. Furthermore 40 million non-smokers suffer from second-hand smoke exposure. The economic toll is also severe, with 2024 health and environmental losses estimated at Tk87 crore—more than double the Tk41 crore generated in tobacco revenue.
Prof. Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury Head of Epidemiology at the Foundation, stressed that enforcing smoke-free environments is crucial to combating non-communicable diseases like heart disease stroke and cancer. "Making offices smoke-free not only protects non-smokers but also encourages users to quit" he explained.
Reaffirming the department's commitment Basir stated "We will issue the necessary directives to ensure a tobacco-free working environment. Tobacco harms not just users, but their colleagues and families. Ensuring smoke-free workplaces is vital for public health and safety."
