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Citing a recent survey, he said 88 percent of points of sale display cigarettes at children’s eye level, while 66 percent place tobacco products next to candy and snacks to attract them.

“Therefore, the ban on displaying tobacco products should not be repealed,” he said, urging the government to reconsider the decision.

Contacted, Health Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury said five ordinances related to the ministry were submitted to the parliamentary special committee, and they will comply with whatever recommendations the committee provides.

CHANGES IN THE AMENDMENT

Amid growing demands from the anti-tobacco campaigners, the interim government in January last year banned the import of e-cigarettes or ENDS to protect public health.

Later, the ordinance was approved on December 23, expanding the definition of tobacco products and introducing several new provisions to control their use and banning ENDS and emerging tobacco products.

Section 6(Ga) of the ordinance says no person shall produce, import, export, store, advertise, promote, endorse, market, distribute, buy, sell, or transport ENDS, their components or parts (such as e-cigarettes, vapes, vaping devices, vaporisers, e-liquids, etc.), heated tobacco products, or emerging tobacco products, whatever name they may be called, nor shall they cause or allow anyone else to do so.

An offender may face imprisonment for up to three months or a fine of up to Tk 2 lakh, or both. If a person commits the same type of offence a second time or repeatedly, the penalty shall be imposed at double the rate progressively.

If the offender under this section is a company, the company’s relevant goods shall be seized, and the owner, manager, or responsible person of the company shall be punishable with imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of up to five lakh, or both. For repeated offence, the company’s licence for producing and selling tobacco and tobacco products shall be revoked.

Any person may face a fine of up to Tk 5,000 for using any of these products.

Section 5(Ka) of the ordinance says at points of sale, all tobacco products and their packaging must be kept out of sight, except when selling directly to a customer. The amendment will remove the section.

If the parliament passes the amendment, then the ban on e-cigarettes and other ENDS will be lifted, while allowing shopkeepers to display tobacco products, a health ministry official said, wishing anonymity.