Photo : BSS

NATORE, May 31, 2025 (BSS) - World No-Tobacco Day was observed here in the district today, highlighting the urgent need to build a tobacco and nicotine-free Bangladesh. 

This year's theme was "Unmask Tobacco Company Tactics, Build a Tobacco and Nicotine-Free Bangladesh."

Marking the occasion, the district administration organized a discussion at the deputy commissioner's conference room, presided over by Deputy Commissioner Asma Shaheen.

Speakers at the event noted that 35 percent of Bangladeshis use tobacco, leading to 161,000 deaths annually from tobacco-related diseases. Bangladesh produces 1.3 percent of the world's tobacco and ranks 13th globally in land used for its cultivation-factors that are diminishing arable land and driving up healthcare costs.

They urged collective efforts to curb tobacco use, calling for awareness campaigns, especially among students. Emphasis was placed on engaging youth in positive activities such as sports, arts, literature, and religious values to steer them away from tobacco dependency.