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Tk 2 cr yearly loss due to fires from cigarettes

Star Economic Report
Lom due to accidental fires from cigarettes Is around Taka two crore annually In Bangladesh Cigarettes Industry Is responsible for Infant mor tahty. premature death, disability. accidents and problems of addictions. National Professor Dr. Nurul Islam says.
Contradicting a news item captioned BTC pays 10 pc of total tax’ published in The Dally Star on February 8. 1991.
Prof. Nurul Islam said Bangladesh Tobacco Company's claim of contributing to the national economy must be judged tn the light of final outcome. Prof. Islam. President of Adhunik. issued the following statement contradicting the BTC claim:
My attention has been drawn to the recent handout by the Bangladesh Tobacco Company (BTC) in which lofty claim has been made by the company that it has contributed significantly towards national economy. The company might have as well claimed to have helped various print media and sports events through their advertisement. I did "hot quite understand why they did not say a word about iL It Is known that the tobacco company all over the world spends billions of dollars for their advertisement to counteract the anti-tobacco movement and encourage the deadly habit by concealing facts and misguiding people.
It sounds patriotic, when the company says that they have provided employment to many and added to the revenue earning of the government. They do not however say how much they have con-trlbuted to the misery of mankind, helplessness of many families by the loss of their earning members through smoking related diseases like lung cancer, heart disease and
If we say there should be more diseases for generating more Income for the medical profession rather than preventing those, encourage more accidents to the cars and vehicles for the sake of develop ment of repair shops, more fire for additional recruitment in fire service. I wonder how social scientists, economists and administrators would accept this queer proposal.
BTC's claim must be judged tn the light of final outcome. On the basis of current scientific evidence they must admit that their Industry Is responsible for Infant mortality, premature death, disability, accl dents and even the present day much talked of problems of addiction. People must be aware of our loss due to the accidental fire from cigarette end. This is around Taka two crore annually in Bangladesh.
According to an estimate there arc 20.000.000 male smokers and approximately 5.000.000 female smokers in Bangladesh. In case of female thin is rather conservative. They conceal their habit and again this Is more common among rural poor.
Smoking control programme has been argued against on economic grounds. In ultimate analysis this is found to be not valid. There arc three ways by which smoking can reduce production.
These are : I) Reduced life expectancy. II) Increased absenteeism from work, ill) Increased number of permanently disable.
Health service expenditure on smoking related diseases, disablement, absenteeism from work, fires of cigarette-origin, use of fuel to cure tobacco and reduced food production all lead to economic loss which far outweigh the benefits of smoking as an Industry. In the developing countries where tobacco production has been expanding per capita food consumption has either declined or remained stagnant. Malnourishment has increased. Thia has influenced respiratory and other smoking related diseases.
Production of tobacco in the developing countries Is at the cost of food production and fuel. therefore In actual terms it does not add to the GNP.
Tobacco today Is considered as the greatest single health hazard for mankind. Around one million new cases of lung cancer occur every year and ll is estimated that by the year 2000 the number may be 20.000.000.