Chittagong District Commissioner Abul Basar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman has instructed executive magistrates to conduct mobile courts against smoking. He said that the initiative taken by the government to implement the Tobacco Control Act in collaboration with the National Tobacco Control Cell is very timely. As tobacco control laws are now visible, the trend of smoking in public places has reduced a lot. Many people stop when they see smoking in public. Campaigning in this regard should be continued. Upazila parishads and upazila complexes should be kept smoke-free. Action will be taken against those found advertising or signboards promoting smoking. The DC directed the Executive Magistrates to conduct anti-smoking mobile courts along with the regular mobile courts.
He said these things in the president’s speech at the training workshop on tobacco control law for the members of the district task force committee and authorized officials to implement the tobacco control law organized in the conference room of Chittagong District Commissioner last Sunday. Chittagong district administration organized the training workshop in collaboration with the National Tobacco Control Cell of the Health Care Department.
DC said, to build a healthy, strong nation, tobacco must be banned. Upazila Parishad Chairman, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Assistant Commissioner (Land), All Union Parishad Chairman and media workers should organize awareness meeting at upazila and union level to implement tobacco control policy. At one time tobacco was grown in Kushtia region. It is slowly moving towards the hill. Because there is less crowd in the hills or less people go to the hills, tobacco is being cultivated in the hills behind the eyes of the people. Tobacco is being cultivated in many places of Khagrachari. All the Upazila Executive Officers and AC Lands should regularly supervise the hilly areas including Fatikchari, Rangunia, Hathazari, Raujan of Chittagong so that tobacco cannot be cultivated. In order not to cultivate tobacco here, the people of the area should be encouraged by involving honorable local parliament members, upazila chairman, UP chairman and public representatives.
District Magistrate said that the upazila chairman, upazila executive officer and public representatives are working together to make Raujan upazila completely tobacco free and smoke free. If other upazilas start working with this kind of action plan, we are sure it is possible to significantly reduce smoking.