State minister for youth and sports Zahid Ahsan Russel on Thursday said the government would construct mini stadiums and amusement facilities in all upazillas across the country, so that the youth refrain from drug and tobacco use.
"It is terrible for the country that 49 per cent of the youth of below 24 years use tobacco products. It will hamper utilisation of current population dividend of the country," he said at a webinar.
The Development Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (DJFB) and private sector development organisation - DORP - jointly organised the webinar titled - 'Discouraging youth in tobacco products utilisation through imposing higher taxes on the tobacco products in the upcoming national budget for FY 2021-22.'
DJFB President FHM Humayan Kabir presided over the programme, where Head of Progga's tobacco control cell Hasan Shahriar presented a keynote paper.
The state minister, who was the webinar chief guest, also said if they failed to curb tobacco consumption by the youth, key driver of the country's next development, their main goal to be a developed nation by 2041 would be hampered.
High tax imposition on tobacco products and creating awareness from family, educational institutions and society are the best tools for cutting tobacco and drug consumption among the youth.
As a state minister he is working to engage the youth in the playground, so that they refrain from use of drugs and tobacco. For this, the government has started work to set up mini stadiums and amusement facilities in all the upazilas, he added.
Planning Commission General Economics Division (GED) Member Professor Shamsul Alam attended the programme as the special guest.
He said it is imperative to rescue the youth from the use of drugs and tobacco for getting a better output of the human capital.
Former film hero and road safety movement leader Ilias Kanchon said if they failed to rescue the youth from the use of drugs and tobacco, fulfilling the country's ultimate target of becoming a developed nation would not be ensured.
He urged the government to increase taxes on tobacco products in the next budget to discourage the youth from consuming those products that affected health and environment.
Lead Policy Advisor of US-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) Md Mostafizur Rahman said Bangladesh had surpassed most of the South Asian nations in several development indicators, including per capita income. But its taxes and prices of the tobacco products are still in the lowest lane.
"It is facilitating the young people to consume more tobacco products, which is affecting their health and the country is finally losing the population dividend."
He urged the government not to provide subsidies and other agri-related facilities to the tobacco farmers, as those benefits were finally being transferred to the tobacco companies and destroying the youth population.
Professor M A Matin MP of Kurigram-3 constituency, DORP Chairman Azhar Ali Talukdar, Executive Director Mohammad Zobair Hasan and Programme Coordinator Rubina Islam, and DJFB General Secretary Arifur Rahman also attended the webinar, among others.
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