Bangladesh, March 9 -- The long-awaited Smoking and Tobacco Products Use (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 is set to be passed as an Act during the upcoming parliamentary session, according to Zahir Uddin Swapon, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

This significant development comes at a time when Bangladesh is grappling with a severe public health crisis, with 35.3 percent of its adult population (aged 15 and above) suffering from tobacco addiction.

On average, tobacco use claims 548 lives each day, while many others live with disabilities caused by tobacco-related diseases. The economic loss due to tobacco is estimated at around BDT 87,000 crore annually.

The Minister made the announcement during a roundtable discussion...