DHAKA, Jan 01, 2026 (BSS) – The Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 has come into effect subject to the presidential assent.

“The ordinance came into effect on December 30, 2025, subject to the approval of the President,” said the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing this morning. 

Under the ordinance, smoking as well as the use of all tobacco products has been prohibited in all public places and public transport. 

Penalty for violating this provision has been increased from Taka 300 to Taka 2,000.

However, all forms of tobacco advertisement, promotion and publicity have been completely banned across print, electronic, internet, social media and OTT platforms. 

“Display of tobacco packets at points of sale has been prohibited. The use of tobacco company names or logos in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and financial sponsorship of any event or programme by tobacco companies have also been banned,” the ordinance said.

According to the ordinance, the sale of tobacco products has been prohibited within 100 metres of educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, playgrounds and children’s parks.

It (ordinance) has imposed a complete ban on emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. 

The production, import, export, storage, sale and use of such products have been declared punishable offences, with provisions for a maximum of six-month imprisonment and a fine of up to Taka five lakh for violations of the law.

Besides, the production, marketing and use of “Bidis” made from kumbhi leaves and tendu leaves have been completely prohibited. As a result, the separate “Bidi” Manufacture (Prohibition) Ordinance, 1975 has been repealed.

Mixing any harmful addictive substances with tobacco or tobacco products has been declared a punishable offence.

The sale of tobacco products has been banned without standard packaging that includes coloured pictorial warnings covering 75 percent of the pack, the ordinance said.

“To ensure effective enforcement, the ordinance has significantly increased fines and imprisonment terms, introduced provisions for cancellation of licences and seizure of goods in the case of companies, and incorporated procedures for conducting cases under the Code of Criminal Procedure,” it added.

Earlier, the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare put forward a proposal to further strengthen the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005.

The objective of the ordinance is to protect public health from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products, repeal the ordinance on Bidi production by introducing a unified law, and completely ban emerging tobacco products including e-cigarettes, vapes and heated tobacco products.

According to the approved ordinance, several provisions have been included in it.

The definition of "tobacco products" has been expanded to include e-cigarettes, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), Heated Tobacco Products (HTP), nicotine pouches and all emerging products. 

The government has also been empowered to declare any such product as a tobacco product through gazette notification.

In addition, separate definitions of “nicotine” and “nicotine products” have been added, while the definition of “public place” has been broadly expanded.