British American Tobacco Bangladesh - Regulation

We support, and want to help deliver, a balanced tobacco regulation and we want to participate and support the Government with advice on and compliance with effective future laws.

In Bangladesh, we support balanced regulation of the tobacco industry and believe strongly that we should participate and support the government with developments, enactments and compliance with future laws.

Truly effective tobacco regulation needs co-operation between the Government and the industry. We have a market-leading position in over 50 countries and operations in more than 200 countries. We believe we have much experience and expertise to contribute. As manufacturer of the products, we are uniquely involved with and knowledgeable about their design, manufacture, distribution and sale.

Bangladesh’s tobacco industry is mainly regulated by the Smoking and Using of Tobacco products (Control) Act, 2005 and the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Rules, 2006. Amendment of the Smoking and Tobacco Usage (Control) Act was passed in May 2013. The amendments are:

•  Wider definition of tobacco products - Apart from Cigarette, Cigar and Biri, now Gul, Jorda, Khaini also part of tobacco products
•  Ban on tobacco sale to minors - Retailers cannot sell tobacco product to anyone below 18 years of age
•  Increased fine for public smoking - Authorized officer can fine Tk. 300 to a smoker for smoking in a public place, which was previously Tk. 50
•  Ban on advertising at POS (Point of Sale) - Advertising & promotion of tobacco products is banned
•  50% Pictorial Health Warning - 50% Pictorial Health Warning on both sides of the principle areas
•  Regulation on descriptor - Light, Mild, Low-tar, Extra, Ultra words as descriptors cannot be used
•  Wider ban on public place smoking -

Current list of public places as per 2013 Amended Law:

1. Educational institutions
2. Government office
3. Semi-government office and offices of autonomous body and private office
4. Libraries
5. Elevators
6. Indoor Work Place
7. Hospitals and clinics
8. Court buildings
9. Airport buildings
10. Sea-port buildings
11. River-port buildings
12. Railway station building
13. Bus-terminal buildings
14. Cinema halls
15. Exhibition centers
16. Theatre halls
17. Shopping buildings
18. Restaurants enclosed by four walls
19. Public toilets
20. Children’s parks
21. Fair or queue of any public transport
22. Any other place commonly used by public

•  Ban on CSR initiative branding - Company name, sign, trademark & symbol cannot be used for branding of CSR initiatives.

According to section 5(3) of Amendment of the Smoking and Tobacco Usage (Control) Act, “any person engaged in social activities under Corporate Social Responsibility or in case of donation on such activities, shall not use any name, sign, trademark, or symbol of any tobacco manufacturing company or cause them to be used or shall not encourage other persons to use those.”

We believe that, such regulation will restrict companies like ours to contribute to the welfare of the country. As a responsible organisation, we have certain duties towards the environment and community in which we operate. Our CSR activities are, therefore, designed to contribute to the social and environmental sustainability of the community. Our CSR activities solely focus on improving the lives of farmers and do not promote any of our products.

Thus, we want to reflect on the fact that the Government of Bangladesh should reconsider into this regulation furthermore and so that we do not face hindrances to contribute to the society.