Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan spoke at a roundtable titled 'Tobacco Control in Public Health Protection: Government's Success, Promise and Public Expectation' at National Theatre seminar room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Photo: BSSDHAKA, Mar 9, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan today said he will move a proposal in national parliament to include the words - 'ban on use in public' instead of the word 'control' in the existing anti-tobacco law. He said the word 'control' has a reluctant connotation, which can be established as a strict legal offense inserting the words ‘ban on use in public'. He made the remarks while speaking at a roundtable titled 'Tobacco Control in Public Health Protection: Government's Success, Promise and Public Expectation' at National Theatre seminar room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here this morning. I will propose to replace the word 'control' in the law with 'ban on use in public’.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 09, 2026 12:17 UTC