The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently called for a ban on cigarette filters and vaporizers, considering the devastating impact of these products on the environment. This time-fitting decision has come as a move towards strengthening the implementation of FCTC Article 18 during the WHO FCTC COP-10, held in Panama on 5-10 February 2024. As a signatory party to FCTC, Bangladesh is legally obligated to implement the decision adopted during COP-10. A delegation from PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and ATMA (Anti-tobacco Media Alliance) has met today (14 March) Mr. Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at Secretariat to discuss the issue.

During the meeting, Hon. Minister expressed his firm commitment that Bangladesh is going to play an active role in banning cigarette filters and vaporizers, classifying cigarette filters as hazardous plastic waste, and curbing tobacco Industry’s ill tactics regarding Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPR) during the upcoming 4th Conference of Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC) scheduled on 23-29 April 2024 in Canada.

It should be noted that WHO has recommended an immediate ban on cigarette filters and vaporizers as they are unnecessary, avoidable and problematic, single-use plastics that are widely spread in the environment, killing microorganisms and marine life, as well as polluting oceans.

The Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set her goal to transform Bangladesh into a tobacco-free country by 2040. The Environment Minister hoped that coordinated efforts of the Health Ministry and the Environment Ministry will help in the realization of this goal.

Participants of the meeting included Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, Joint Secretary and National Focal Person, Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee on Plastic Pollution, Sukanata Gupta Alak, Senior Journalist, Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener, ATMA, Nadira Kiron, Co-Convener, ATMA and ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA. Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, PROGGA has presented key talking points.