The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

The World No Tobacco Day-2010 was observed in Rangpur and other adjoining northern districts on Monay with a call to ban smoking, production and sales of tobacco products right now to save human lives. Various programmes including colourful rallies, workshops, discussions and cultural functions were organised in observance of the day everywhere by the Civil Surgeon Offices, different organisations, NGOs, bodies and institutions.

The speakers at the discussions said the per annum death toll caused by tobacco related diseases is already much higher than all sorts of natural calamities including earthquakes, super cyclones, floods, tornadoes, road and air accidents in the world.

Terming tobacco as the number one human killer and more catastrophic than the atomic or neutron bombs, the speakers called upon all governments in the world to immediately stop tobacco production to save the humanity and civilization as a whole. They urged the government to stop tobacco use in the country, impose abnormally high taxes on local and foreign cigarette companies till enactment of a law for complete ban and include articles in school curriculum to protect the youths from tobacco catastrophe.

In Rangpur, a number of colourful rallies participated by hundreds of people including government and NGO officials and activists, employees, nurses, health workers, students, socio- cultural activists, professionals, elite and the common men and women.

Civil Surgeon Office under the auspices of the Health Directorate organised a discussion and workshop titled `Gender and Tobacco with an Emphasis on marketing to Women' at the auditorium of Rangpur Civil Surgeon Office in observance of the Day.

Chaired by Civil Surgeon of Rangpur Dr M Rezaul Karim, the occasion was attended and addressed by head of the Department of Medicine of Rangpur Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) Dr M Zakir Hossain as the chief guest.

Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr M Mozammel Haque and Sadar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Jiban Krishna Ghosh attended as the special guests in the workshop that was participated by the physicians, health workers and employees.

The speakers in the workshop put special emphasis to give up intake of tobacco substances and smoking as the same cause high blood pressure, hypertension, heart attacks, brain haemorrhages and strokes taking huge tolls annually.

They asked all stakeholders in the society for launching vigorous awareness building campaign and social movement to help the present pro-people and democratic government in enacting a new and tough law imposing complete ban on tobacco.

Similar reports of observance of the Day were received here from all district and upazila headquarters of Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Panchagarh, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Dinajpur and Thakurgaon districts.