Department of Cooperatives declared 100% smoke and tobacco-free

The Department of Cooperatives has been officially declared a 100 percent smoke and tobacco-free institution, a move aimed at protecting employees and visitors from the harmful effects of smoking and second-hand smoke.

The announcement was made on Thursday (29 January) by Mohammad Hafizul Haider Chowdhury, Additional Registrar (Administration, Mass Education and Finance), at the Titas Conference Hall of the Department of Cooperatives.

The declaration was made during a consultative meeting titled “Declaring All Offices of the Department of Cooperatives as 100% Smoke and Tobacco-Free”, jointly organised by the Department and the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP), as part of nationwide efforts to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh.

Speaking as chair of the meeting, Haider Chowdhury said the move follows Section 4, Sub-section 1 of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which bans smoking and the use of tobacco products in all public places and public transport.

He highlighted that the harmful effects of smoking extend beyond smokers themselves, posing risks to non-smokers as well. “Since a large number of people visit the Department of Cooperatives every day, making the workplace smoke and tobacco-free will protect both employees and service recipients,” he said.

The welcome address was delivered by AHM Noman, Founder and Chief Executive of DORP, while Zeba Afroza, Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project, presented the keynote paper.

Citing GATS 2017 data, she noted that 38.4 million adults in Bangladesh are exposed to second-hand smoke daily in workplaces, public places, and public transport, with nearly 42.7 percent exposed in covered workplaces. She also highlighted that over 61,000 children under 15 suffer from diseases caused by second-hand smoke.

The meeting was moderated by Deputy Registrar Shakila Haque. Discussants included Additional Registrar (Cooperative Management) Zebun Nahar and former Secretary Md. Azhar Ali Talukdar, among others.

Participants called for the amended Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 to be passed into law by the upcoming Thirteenth National Parliament to curb tobacco-related diseases and deaths. They also urged political parties to prioritize the ordinance in their election manifestos and campaigns.

At the conclusion of the meeting, anti-smoking and anti-tobacco signboards and stickers were installed at key locations within the Department of Cooperatives.