Dhaka, Jan 15 (V7N)— The government spends more on medical expenses caused by tobacco consumption than it earns from tobacco revenue, said Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhtar during a seminar held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday morning.

Speaking as the chief guest at the seminar titled "Obstacles and Dos and Don'ts in Implementing Tobacco Tax Policy to Protect Public Health", Farida Akhtar highlighted the detrimental impact of tobacco cultivation and consumption on public health and the environment.

She pointed out that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock faces significant challenges due to tobacco farming, particularly along the banks of rivers such as the Halda and Teesta. "The use of pesticides and fertilizers in tobacco cultivation is destroying aquatic ecosystems and killing fish in these areas," she stated.

Farida Akhtar also questioned the claims made by tobacco companies about the industry's employment figures. "They claim that 1.5 million people are involved in tobacco sales, but many of these are child labourers. We need to verify the actual numbers," she added.

The seminar, organised by the Bangladesh Network for Tobacco Tax Policy (BNTTP), was chaired by BNTTP Technical Committee Member Md. Shafiqul Islam. Special guests included Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan, Director General of the National Consumer Rights Protection Department, and several senior officials from various ministries.

In his keynote presentation, journalist and researcher Sushanta Sinha analysed the country's tobacco tax structure, corporate strategies, and the challenges of implementing effective taxation. The speakers underscored the economic burden of tobacco-related health issues and called for stricter taxation and awareness measures to reduce consumption.

The event also featured insights from Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Railways Mir Alamgir Hossain, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Apurba Kumar Mondal, and Professor Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Faruk, Chairman of the Bangladesh Cancer Society.

They emphasised that the medical costs associated with treating tobacco-related illnesses far exceed the revenue generated from tobacco sales, urging the government to take more robust action to curb tobacco use.

END/MSS/AJ