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Khulna’s Health at Stake: Why the New Tobacco Law is Struggling to Clear the Air
KHULNA – In the bustling tea stalls of Nirala and the crowded platforms of Sonadanga, the smell of tobacco smoke remains as common as the morning mist. This is despite a major legal shift: the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, which was designed to finally put some “teeth” into Bangladesh’s public health policies.
While the law is technically in effect, the reality in Khulna is a sobering reminder that a piece of paper—no matter how strictly worded—can’t protect a city without consistent action.
The New Rules vs. The Old Habits
Earlier this year, authorities sent a shockwave through the local business community when a series of mobile court drives collected over Tk 3 lakh in fines in a single weekend. One shop owner near Khulna Medical College was slapped with a staggering Tk 2 lakh fine for selling cigarette cartons that lacked the mandatory 75% pictorial health warnings.
Yet, walk just a few blocks away from these high-profile “drives,” and the violations are easy to find:
The 100-Meter Rule: The law explicitly bans tobacco sales within 100 meters of schools and hospitals. In Khulna, many small kiosks still operate right under the noses of educational institutions.
The “Invisible” Fine: The penalty for smoking in public jumped to Tk 2,000, but without a regular police presence to enforce it, commuters at the bus terminals continue to light up with little fear of consequence.
The Point-of-Sale Battle: While e-cigarettes and vapes are now fully banned, they continue to circulate in “underground” markets, often marketed to the city’s youth via social media.
A Cost Beyond Fines
The frustration among local health advocates is palpable. They argue that the government’s efforts are too “episodic.“
“When the mobile court arrives, the advertisements come down and the cigarettes are hidden,” says one local anti-tobacco campaigner. “But by the time the magistrate’s car reaches the next intersection, the posters are back up. We are treating the symptoms, not the disease.”
The stakes for Khulna are incredibly high. Data suggests that while tobacco brings in significant revenue, the economic loss from healthcare costs and lost productivity in Bangladesh—estimated at Tk 87,000 crore annually—is more than double what the industry pays in taxes.
What Happens Next?
For Khulna to see a real change, the “Human” side of enforcement needs to step up. This means:
Community-Led Monitoring: Empowering school boards and hospital staff to report nearby sellers directly to a dedicated task force.
License Accountability: Moving beyond small fines to the actual cancellation of trade licenses for shops that repeatedly target minors.
Digital Awareness: Using the city’s growing digital infrastructure to inform the public that the “old way” of smoking in public now carries a very modern (and expensive) price tag.
As the 2025 Ordinance moves toward becoming a permanent Act in Parliament, Khulna stands at a crossroads. The law is here; the question is whether the city’s enforcement will finally catch up to the crisis.
