Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Bangladesh

12th March 2025: Bangladesh: Mohammad Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser of the interim government, announced that a committee is currently reviewing tobacco tax policies following discussions on the matter within the cabinet division. Speaking at a journalists' workshop, he also highlighted calls for the government to set a minimum price of BDT9 ($0.07) per cigarette stick in the upcoming budget by merging the lower and middle tax tiers for cigarettes. The increase will likely be extended to novel tobacco products as well.
4th March 2025: Bangladesh: The home adviser of the interim government Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has reinforced the smoking ban in public places during the month of Ramadan. He made the call after a reported attack on two girls smoking in public in Lalmatia city, Dhaka. He said smoking in public during Ramadan is prohibited and urged everyone to strictly comply with the law by avoiding smoking in public this month. The Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act of 2005 prohibits smoking in public places that have been declared smoke-free areas by the government, with a restrictive interpretation, in line with the aim of reaching a tobacco-free country by 2040.
26th February 2025: Bangladesh: Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health, has said that the government will pass the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 soon in order to protect public health, media reports. “The process of passing the Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 is currently underway”, he stated during a view exchange meeting on the ordinance. He noted that the country is experiencing high tobacco consumption along with a growing prevalence of e-cigarettes. As part of its efforts to combat tobacco and e-cigarette use, the government recently banned the import of vapes.
19th February 2025: Bangladesh: The government is developing a policy to control the production and cultivation of tobacco across the country. Farida Akhter, advisor to the government on fisheries and livestock, revealed this initiative during a view exchange meeting. She highlighted the negative impact of tobacco cultivation on communities, emphasising its serious environmental and health consequences for the population.
28th January 2025: Bangladesh: During a conference organised by the Health Protection Foundation, programme director of the National Tobacco Control Cell Momena Moni emphasised the need to implement specific taxes to limit the availability of tobacco products. The event included a proposal urging the government to increase tobacco taxes in the upcoming 2025 to 2026 budget. Speakers also advocated for raising the prices of tobacco products by streamlining the current four-tier pricing system.
23rd January 2025: Bangladesh: The government has finalised a draft bill to amend the Tobacco Control Law, aiming to ban public smoking, prohibit e-cigarettes, and prevent tobacco companies from engaging in corporate social responsibility activities. The draft also suggests increasing the size of graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging from 50% to 90%. The draft bill was presented in a meeting with delegates from the tobacco control project of the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor, a non-governmental organisation working in the field of development in rural Bangladesh. This latest move aligns with the existing ban on e-cigarette imports and to a generally negative political view on tobacco substitutes.
14th January 2025: Bangladesh: The government has announced a tax hike on several goods, including raw tobacco, to increase the national revenue collection. The National Board of Revenue (NRB) said taxes will also increase on all types of cigarettes. The increases will likely impact novel tobacco products too, considering the negative stance the government has towards these products.
8th November 2024: Bangladesh: The Advisory Council of Interim Government has sent the draft of amendments to the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act back to a committee headed by the economic and finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, due to its implications for the country’s fiscal revenue. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Advisory Council chaired by the country’s chief adviser (interim prime minister) Muhammad Yunus. The committee will be tasked with reviewing the draft amendments, press reports.
24th October 2024: Bangladesh: The interim government initiated the amendment of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, introducing an ordinance that will tighten tobacco control by banning the sale of e-cigarettes, loose cigarettes, bidis and chewing tobacco. It will also require shopkeepers to obtain a licence for selling tobacco products, with penalties of BDT50,000 ($420) for non-compliance and stricter fines for selling near schools, hospitals or public venues. The bill is likely to pass, and it would have significant implications for Bangladesh’s economic context. It had already been supported by the previous government, which was ousted in August this year.
23rd October 2024: Bangladesh: During a press conference held yesterday (22nd October) in Kawran Bazar, Dhaka, the Bangladesh Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Traders Association (Bendsta) called for sensible regulation on on alternative tobacco products to pursue a harm-reduction approach. Bendsta’s president Schumann Zaman said vapes should not be placed in the same category as cigarettes, as they can be tools of harm reduction. Bendsta also invited the government to engage with the association in an evidence-based dialogue to craft policies that align with Bangladesh’s public health agenda.
15th October 2024: Bangladesh: A recent report on two decades of tobacco control in Southeast Asia highlighted Bangladesh’s success in implementing measures under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The country’s National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) has efficiently utilised tobacco tax revenues to fund health initiatives and awareness campaigns. Despite these achievements, the report noted ongoing challenges – including the illicit tobacco trade and the emergence of new tobacco products.
15th October 2024: Bangladesh: Nari Maitree, a development non-governmental organisation (NGO), held a round table on 9th October to emphasise the role of journalists in advancing a tobacco-free Bangladesh. The discussion highlighted the urgency of amending tobacco control laws, focusing on youth addiction to e-cigarettes and the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on women and children. Experts and media representatives called for stricter regulations in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to reduce tobacco use and safeguard public health. The Nari Maitree organisation is a prominent actor in the country. It works towards a more equitable society, with health development – through tobacco control, among other initiatives – being one of the key steps towards achieving equality.

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LATEST ALERTS

Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Bangladesh

BAT’s heated tobacco sales decline, but offset by strong growth in modern oral

Bangladesh budget proposes spike in taxes to get harm down and revenue up

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Bangladesh: oral tobacco and nicotine pouch regulation, August 2024

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