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Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2021: Study Findings Unveiled
The incessant interference from tobacco industry has put the public health of Bangladesh under substantial risk. The country’s score in the 2021 Tobacco Industry Interference Index stands at 72 which was 68 last year. The increase in score suggests a worsening trend in terms of tobacco industry interference. Due to aggressive activities of tobacco companies during the Covid-19 pandemic, the implementation of World Health Organization (WHO)’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and also the realization of Bangladesh’s own vision of being a tobacco-free country by 2040 are now under threat of being derailed. Such concerning facts and many more were brought to light today (28 November 2021, Sunday) as the research findings of ‘Tobacco Industry Interference Index: The FCTC Article 5.3 Implementation Report, Bangladesh 2021’ was unveiled during an event, jointly organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) at the CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka.
The Chief Guest, Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, said, “Tobacco is killing more people than COVID-19. Nonetheless, the government is yet to take effective tobacco control measures. The question arises whether the government bodies really hold the spirit of FCTC and the HPM’s vision of a tobacco-free country.” Eminent economist and the convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, “Bangladesh has made very poor performance in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index. We also scored the poorest among our South Asian peers. Why did we perform so poorly?” To improve the situation, he demanded divestment of the government’s share in BATB and reinstatement of 25% export duty on tobacco. Prominent Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of TV Today Mr. Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said, “Government bodies need to be sensitized so that they do not accept any aid from tobacco industry. Receiving donations from the tobacco industry is a clear violation of FCTC as well as in conflict with the declaration of the Prime Minister.”
The study findings show that Bangladesh has experienced an increase in tobacco industry interference during the study period (January 2020-March 2021) and there has been no progress in the implementation of Article 5.3 Guidelines. The time period has also seen a recurrence of tobacco industry’s attempt to interfere and exert influence in policymaking via diplomatic channel. On behalf of Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI), the Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh wrote a letter to the finance minister where the diplomat said, any tobacco control measure that may hurt business interest of JTI would cause a cessation of the flow of Japanese FDI into the country. The report covers another stark anti-public health move that took place during the early days of Covid-19 pandemic. In April 2020, the Ministry of Industry (MoInd) exempted two transnational tobacco companies, BAT Bangladesh (BATB) and JTI Bangladesh from the obligations of nationwide lockdown through a government order. The Ministry also instructed the local administration and law enforcement agencies to assist these companies to continue manufacturing, marketing, leaf purchase and other operations. MoInd also quickly turned down the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)’s request to withdraw such special permissions granted to tobacco companies. Asian Tobacco (Pvt) Ltd, a Bangladeshi tobacco company, was allowed by Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) to establish a cigarette and tobacco processing plant in Ishwardi Export Processing Zone, where the company would enjoy tax exemption and other lucrative facilities. Another notable incident was the endorsement from ten (10) Members of Parliaments (MPs) to the bidi industry’s demand for tax reduction in a Demi Official (DO) letter addressed to the finance minister.
The study also reveals that during the pandemic, tobacco companies ramped up their CSR activities to such a scale that was completely unprecedented. The companies successfully managed to exploit many crises created by Covid-19 pandemic to improve brand image and also to forge multi-faceted liaison with different influential government bodies while distributing protective and sanitizing equipment, thus making pathways for future interferences. Like previous years, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and other government institutions, continued to shower tobacco companies with awards and recognitions.
The research has also put forth recommendations for amending tobacco control law to make it more compliant with FCTC, by including a comprehensive ban on tobacco companies’ CSR activities, among other issues. It also recommends elimination of cigarettes from the list of essential commodities by amending the 1956 Essential Commodities Act, formulation and implementation of a simple tobacco price and tax policy, divestment of the government’s share in tobacco companies, finalization of a code-of-conduct for relevant govt. officials in case of interaction with tobacco companies and their representatives, and withdrawal of all incentives provided to tobacco companies along with a ban on investments in tobacco business. The tobacco companies should also be declared ineligible for any government recognition and awards, the study recommends.
Notably, with a view to highlighting the importance of formulating a policy in line with FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines, PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) has been releasing the findings of Bangladesh Tobacco Industry Interference Index study since 2018. This year the study for global tobacco industry interference index has been conducted in 80 countries. Among these countries, Bangladesh ranked 62^nd in the 2021 Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index. The latest report also reveals the concerning fact that tobacco industry interference in Bangladesh remained higher than any other country in South Asia. The study assesses how the government responded to industry interference and what measures it took to thwart such interference, on the basis of FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines. The higher the score is, the stronger interference it suggests. This study was conducted as a part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (STOP) project and received overall support from the Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) at the School of Global Studies in Thammasat University.
The discussants include Dr. Mary Assunta, Head of Global Research & Advocacy, GGTC, Muhammad Shafiqul Islam, Bangladesh Country Advisor, Vital Strategies, Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Coordinator, Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), CTFK, Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Dr. Syed Mahfuzul Huq, National Professional Officer (NCD), World Health Organization (WHO), Syed Mahbubul Alam, Technical Advisor, The UNION and ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA. The welcome address was delivered by Mortuza Haider Liton, Chief Crime Reporter of bdnews24.com and convener of ATMA. Nadira Kiron, Chief Reporter, ATN News and Co-convener of ATMA, hosted the event whereas Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Tobacco Control, PROGGA, presented the findings.
December 5, 2021
Environment Pollution: Future is at stake!
Suparna Roy: Development vs. Environment- is one of the controversial issues of modern and progressive world. The concept of development today and couple of years ago are not same. Development of human civilizations started being measured when we realized that, “we are limited with resources.” Since then, people started thinking about development protecting nature. Whenever any conflict arises in between the two, both developed and developing countries are eager to choose ‘development’. The natural environment of Bangladesh is also part of this controversial issue. 17 corer people live in the 1, 47, 570 sq.km and economic growth is the primary concern of individual. Over the last three decades, Bangladesh witnessed 200 natural disasters. Though geographical location next to the Bay of Bengal is one of the reasons of those disasters, environment pollution is also a reason. A database between 2008 and 2017 stated that, around 37 million people in Bangladesh were affected by natural disaster. Bangladesh is in the 7th position among countries most extreme weather conditions and in the 3rd position for natural disaster.
Soil, air and river are the primary objects of nature. Population densities, socio-economic environment, irresponsibility, political influence, non-implementation of laws, industrializations are the reasons of increasing environment pollution day by day. Over population is creating a pressure in every sector. For securing their basic necessities, Government is focusing on economic growth even harming the environment. The entrance of Rohingas is also increased the pressure. Government or Khas lands are not used for the betterment of environment because of political influence. And for the same reason, the numbers of illegal industries are increasing. That toxicity hampers the balance of environment. To control all those issues we have almost 200 environment laws but still this matter is out of control.
Sustainable development is a fair approach to protect environment in developing countries. The jurisprudence of sustainable development creates an equal balance of development and environment. As a developing country, Bangladesh needs balance equality where economic growth and environmental protection both can be solved. Bangladesh has MDG, SDG plans to deal with the Environmental problems along with 200 environmental laws. Enacting new laws cannot solve the problems. We have enough laws on environment which need to be implemented properly. Government should take every possible step to aware its citizens. Bangladesh gives its consent on international environmental laws and policies. So it is the responsibility of every citizen to protect the environment. As well as, Government can introduce environmental education and scientific research on environment to protect the environment. This method will involve young generation to generate new ideas for the betterment of environment. Also Government should promote training to deal with the random natural disasters. Authority should promote awareness among people to protect environment.
Humans are creature and modular of the environment”. If we care for humanity, we must protect our environment for the present and future generation. Environment is necessary for physical and mental progress. Tree plantation is an instrumental action which will help us to tackle issues like natural disaster. Development is necessary but we cannot ignore nature. Environment is the key to the existence of life on earth. Environment is everything that is around and the entire life system of a human depends on it. So it is responsibility of every individual to protect environment and to ensure no development can be made harming environment. We need a place to where development and environment are equally balanced. Human with the support of Government can make this aim true and also can gift a colourful nature to the upcoming generations.
(The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020 and can be reached at [email protected])
July 2, 2021
Proposed Budget: An Impediment to Achieving Tobacco-Free Bangladesh
The proposed budget for FY 2021-22, if passed, will make tobacco products even more affordable and increase the use among the youth and the poor. This would put public health under considerable threat, benefit only tobacco companies, and make the government lose opportunities of earning additional revenues. Members of Parliament (MPs), economists, and public health experts said this today (13 June 2021, Sunday) during an online budget reaction event, organized jointly by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA).
In its analysis of tobacco tax-related measures in the proposed budget, PROGGA drew attention to the fact that the proposed budget has kept the prices and taxes on the low and medium-tier cigarettes unchanged which respectively constitute around 72 and 16 percent of the Bangladeshi cigarette market. The prices for 10 sticks of high and medium-tier cigarettes have been raised by only Tk. 5 and Tk. 7 (5.5 percent hike), setting the prices at Tk. 102 and 135 respectively.
The increase (5 percent) is very negligible compared to the increase in per capita income of the country (9 percent). Hence, the proposed budget would make all types of cigarettes even much cheaper. According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), 2017, between 2009 and 2017, there has been a 1.5 million increase in the number of cigarette users. The budgetary measures, as proposed, would increase the number of smokers again, putting public health in a precarious position. The prices of bidi and widely used smokeless tobacco (jarda and gul) have also been kept unchanged which would undoubtedly increase use of these products and put the low-income people into greater health risk.
PROGGA’s analysis has also highlighted that imposing higher taxes on tobacco products is a pro-poor measure. The likelihood of quitting tobacco increases among the poor demographic with price hike. It also reduces premature deaths and medical expenses from tobacco-related diseases. Thus, it becomes possible for poor households to recover the loss of productivity and other income losses incurred from tobacco use. It has also come up in the budget reaction that the existing faulty multi-tiered ad-valorem tax structure is also increasing the tendency to switch to cheaper cigarette brands.
As a result, the government is losing the opportunity of earning a huge amount of revenue from pricy brands. Implementation of budget proposals of anti-tobacco organizations, i.e. increasing prices of all tobacco products through imposing specific taxes will encourage 1.1 million people to quit smoking, prevent premature deaths of 390,000 current adults and 400,000 current youth, and earn BDT 3400 crore in additional revenue from cigarettes as supplementary duty, health development surcharge and VAT. It would also expedite the realization of the vision of a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, as declared by the Honorable Prime Minister.
During the roundtable, Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, said, “The low and medium tier of cigarettes need to be merged and brought under specific taxation in the final budget of this year. We are working to save lives and we are not ready to get defeated by tobacco companies. Tobacco claims 10 to 15 times more lives than the COVID pandemic has done in one year. So why shouldn’t we be worried about tobacco? The Honorable Prime Minister is on behalf of a welfare state. I know she would support our propositions, otherwise, I would not discuss this.”
Eminent economist and the convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, “We called for increased prices for all tobacco products. We called for the introduction of specific taxes. The proposed budget does not reflect any of these demands. However, he mentioned that the proposed budget can be changed if the Honorable Prime Minister is willing.” Senior Research Fellow of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and economist Dr. Nazneen Ahmed said, “The prices of low tier cigarettes need to be increased in one quick blow.
This can discourage the youth from getting hooked on tobacco. We want the future youth to be healthy. Only then can we utilize the benefits of demographic dividends to develop our country.” The Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Dr. Mahfuz Kabir said, “The low and medium tier make up for around 88 percent of total cigarette market of the country.
As a result, these tiers required a hike so that revenues could increase and health risks could be reduced.” Dr. Syed Mahfuzul Huq, National Professional Officer of WHO; Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Bangladesh; and Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Professor at the Dept. of Epidemiology and Research of the National Heart Foundation also spoke among others in the program. The event was hosted by Nadira Kiron, Co-convener, ATMA. The budget proposals were presented by Md. Hasan Shahriar, Project Head, Tobacco Control, PROGGA. Among those present were also Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener, ATMA, ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA, and representatives of anti-tobacco organizations and media outlets.
During the event, the proposals have been presented to be included in the finalized 2021-22 national budget.
Introduce a tiered specific excise (supplementary duty -SD) with uniform tax burden (SD share of 65% of final retail price) across all cigarette brands. The retail price should be set for 10 sticks cigarette in the low-tier at Tk. 50, medium-tier at Tk. 70, high-tier at Tk. 110, premium-tier at Tk. 140; followed by Tk. 32.50, Tk. 45.50, Tk. 71.50 and Tk. 91 as specific supplementary duty (SD) respectively. Besides, reduce price tiers from four to two in the medium-term (2021-22 to 2025-26) by reducing the gaps in final prices and tax rates between cigarettes brands.
For 25 non-filtered bidi sticks, the retail price should be Tk. 25, followed by a specific supplementary duty of Tk. 11.25. The price for 20 filtered sticks should be Tk. 20, which will be followed by a specific supplementary duty of Tk. 9. As a result of such measures, in both filtered and non-filtered bids, the specific supplementary duty will be 45 percent of final retail prices. For SLT products, the price per 10-gram jarda and gul should be Tk. 45 and 25 respectively. A specific supplementary duty of Tk. 27 should be imposed per 10-gram jarda. For gul, the specific supplementary duty should be Tk. 15. As a result of such measures, in both jarda and gul, the specific supplementary duty will be 60 percent of final retail prices.
June 15, 2021
World No Tobacco Day
The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) observe 31 May 2021 around the globe. This year the theme of World No Tobacco Day is Commit to quit. In Bangladesh, the theme for World No Tobacco Day 2021 also resembles the global one: Asun Amra Protigga Kori, Jibon Bachate Tamak Chari. The benefits of quitting are many. Abstaining from tobacco use for a whole year decreases the risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker. Within 10 years of quitting, the risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker. Compared to those who continued tobacco use, those who quit at about 30-40 years of age, gain almost 9-10 years of life expectancy.
Tobacco is one of the major contributing factors to lung and cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco users are two to four times more likely to get heart disease (heart attack and stroke) than nonsmokers. Tobacco, responsible for 25 percent of all cancer deaths globally, is linked to at least 20 cancer types. Particularly, lung cancer risk is around 25 times higher in tobacco users compared with those who have never smoked. About 80% of all COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is caused by cigarette smoking and smokers are 13 times more likely to die from COPD than non-smokers. Smokers face a 40 – 50 percent higher risk of developing severe disease and death from COVID-19, says WHO.
Tobacco also causes irreparable damage to one’s family and surroundings. As per the 2017 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) of World Health organization (WHO), currently 38.4 million people in Bangladesh face secondhand smoking in work, transport and other public places on a regular basis. About 40.8 million (39%) Bangladeshis are exposed to passive smoking at home, with the majority being women. A recent study conducted among school children of Dhaka has found out that 95 percent of school-going children have higher nicotine in their saliva samples which is undoubtedly a result of passive smoking.
The use of tobacco causes around 126,000 deaths in Bangladesh a year. The financial loss (due to medical expenditure and loss of productivity) incurred per year due to tobacco use exceeds BDT 30,560 crore. A matter of particular concern is that currently the lowest income people have a much higher rate (48%) to use tobacco than the highest earning class (24%). Between 2009 and 2017, the average monthly expenditure for bidi has increased by 50% for each individual smoker. Currently, a cigarette smoker spends on average BDT 1077.7 per month for cigarettes. On the contrary, the average monthly expenditure for education and health of a household is only BDT 835.7 and 700 respectively (Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016). If the money spent on tobacco could be channeled into spending for education, health or the fight against human poverty, the economic condition of families could be radically improved.
On the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day 2021, ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA said, the poor demographic is predominantly more price sensitive. Once prices of tobacco products are increased, it decreases the use of tobacco, tobacco-related diseases and deaths and other losses. So, increasing taxes on tobacco is a pro-poor measure.
Most importantly, to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040, cigarettes and other tobacco products need to be brought out of the purchasing capacity of the masses through the imposition of specific taxes. In addition, measures such as removing the provision of “designated smoking area”, banning smoking in all public places, work spaces, and public transport, banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale, banning ‘corporate social responsibility’ activities of tobacco companies, banning the sale of single sticks and unpackaged smokeless tobacco, banning the sale and import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, and allowing stricter rules on packaging including increases to the size of graphic health warnings- should be adopted and implemented through an amendment of tobacco control law.
May 31, 2021
Treasure, not Trash: Creating Green Energy from Non-Recycled Plastics
Bahnishikha Chowdhury: Over the last six decades, global production and consumption of plastic have accelerated so rapidly that almost 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced globally and each year the number is increasing. Overconsuming of non-biodegradable plastic has led us to a major problem as most of the plastics end up as trash in landfills or oceans. If our lifestyle remains unchanged then there will be more plastics in oceans than fishes in 2050 and the situation of lands will only worsen.
Plastic is a versatile, lightweight, moisture-resistant, strong material comparing to other available materials on the market. These irresistible qualities have made plastic popular and resulting in increased mass production each year globally. It is evident that nowadays plastic is unavoidable but at the same time, these non-biodegradable and extremely durable plastic are destroying marine and coastal ecosystems even entering our food chain in microplastic form. Instead of throwing plastics in landfills and oceans, one promising alternative is to convert plastic in fuels.
Plastic is mainly composed of Carbon and Hydrogen, containing similar compounds of conventional fuels such as diesel. It is possible to convert plastics directly into useful forms of energy. Scientists at Columbia University found that if they were able to convert all non-recycled plastics to energy, they could power 5.7 million homes.
It is possible to convert all the non-recycled plastics directly into a useful form of energy, using a process called Pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is a method of heating at high temperatures in the absence or limited presence of oxygen. It is normally used to generate energy in the form of heat, electricity, or fuels.
In this process, at first plastic wastes are collected and sorted for recycling and non-recycling. By using the pyrolysis technique, these non-recycled plastics are heated and melt into a liquid state and then vaporized into a gas state. The gases are then further cooled and condensed into a variety of synthetic crude oil, synthetic diesel fuel, kerosene, and more. One company of the USA claims that its system can convert 50 tons of plastic waste into 26,000 gallons of oil—per day. If all the non-recycled plastics in the U.S. were able to be converted this way, they could create enough oil to fuel nine million cars for a whole year resulting in 70% less CO2 and less greenhouse gas emission.
Plastics also can be converted into gas fuel that can be used to produce electricity or turned into liquid fuels and even chemicals for manufacturing. Japan and South Korea have been using gasification for garbage and industrial waste for a couple of decades. Scientists in the UK, Spain, and Australia have invented a technique to convert plastic into fuels and which can also be used as raw material for plastic production.
Bangladesh is a home of 170 million people. Waste management has always been a major issue in Bangladesh, resulting in its capital, Dhaka being one of the most polluted cities in the world. Plastic pollution is increasing and polluting our water sources every day. This developing technology might help to manage wastes in our country. This technology considered green and sustainable which produces clean energy.
Our trash can only become a problem if we do not find a way to manage it. These technologies have proven that our trash is not filthy but valuable resources.
(The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020 and can be reached at [email protected])
May 24, 2021
Cyclone Yaas Approaching, Bangladesh issues Alert
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued a cyclone alert message which give warning that a low pressure area is very likely to form over the North Andaman Sea and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal. A Cyclone named Yaas has formed which is likely to intensify into a “very severe cyclonic storm” and cross the Odisha and the West Bengal coasts on Wednesday (26 May) confirmed by the India Meteorological Department. The named Yaas proposed by Oman and it means jasmine flower.
A low pressure area formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining north Andaman Sea. While a low pressure area is the first stage of formation of a cyclone, it is not necessary that all low pressure areas will intensify into cyclonic storms. Bangladesh Meteorological Department has asked the maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to hoist distant cautionary signal number one but it is going to increase.
A mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Barishal divisions and the districts of Sitakundu, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, and Sreemangal and it may continue for next two days. Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
However, Early this week the cyclone Tauktae hit the Western coast of India causing serious damage in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. Cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful storm to barrel into the west coast in two decades, has killed at least 46 others after wreaking havoc in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Incidentally, The April-May and the October-December periods are also known to eyewitness cyclones. May, last year saw the formation of two cyclones – one in the Bay of Bengal which was super cyclonic storm Amphan and the other in the Arabian Sea which was Severe cyclonic storm Nisarga. Both of them had been hit in the Indian coasts.
Live Tracking on Bangladesh Cyclone Tracker
Sources: Bangladesh Meteorological Department, India Meteorological Department
May 22, 2021
A Piece Consciousness means A Lovely and Fresh Environment
Nawrin Sultana (Luna): Recently some pictures of some public universities campus and tourist spots of Bangladesh have taken our attention. On these pictures, some pictures show that during the time of COVID-19, the natural beauty of some places have come back with flowers, trees and leaves. On the other hand, some people make some funny pictures with endangered animal by saying that these animals are also come back again in these time because they feel very relaxed as human being cannot do any harm to them. Though these pictures can say thousands of words but I would like to say on sentence that, at the end of the day all pictures and natural changes send us a message that human being are harmful for environment and they are creating harm for environment.
We should feel same on our unconscious deeds. From childhood we came to know one common matter that two places should be clean and pure form any places else. Those places are educational institutions and religious places or pilgrims. But now we clean or pilgrims or religious places but make impure our educational institutions especially this is a very common seen in higher educational institution. But in early age at pre-primary or primary level of education kids maintain hygiene and cleanliness in their classroom or school by following different kind of regulations there. But when some of them are grown up, they should make other people aware instead of doing wrong deeds.
Unfortunately the scenario is very negative and different in our country. And as I am student of University of Dhaka, I am telling about the cleanliness of my University campus. Open smoking, throwing garbage, plastic bottle here and there do not using the trash bin is very common here by thinking that the cleaner man will remove it. But thinking for the environment has no place on their mind as they are the students of highest educational institutions in our country. Rules breaking for environment by creating an immeasurable harm to the environment in the long run seem to smartness for some people. When another friend trying to make those people aware or concern about not to do those, then the wrong doers pinch, make fun or laugh at him. And this is the bitter truth on the point of saving and spoiling our natural environment.
Now the point is how can we make aware these blind people with eyed? As we know that all students are matured in university level and well-educated and reputed people go to visit the tourist spots in our country. So it will be overlapping to make those people again inform about responsibilities and doings for environment. But we can raise or awake their sleeping conscience, rationality, and ethics and virtuous through some projects like short poems, cartoons, posters are here and there or around the trash bin of university campus and tourist spots.
We all know that university and tourist spots are reflect the highest exorcisms and merits of a society and nations. But if we fall behind in these sector by destructing our environment by some of our wrong deeds and carelessness, then the reputation of our nation and country will lag behind on global perspective and as we love our country before the birth of its sovereignty, so obviously we cannot let this happen. Clean environment means pure and safe country, earth, nation, healthy generation and a piece of imperturbability and fresh breath.
(The writer is a student of Institute of Education and Research, University of Dhaka and a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020. She can be reached at [email protected])
May 21, 2021
Coronavirus wastes posing threat of further contagion
Banani Mallick: Environment experts said the government should look to alternative ways like incineration while dealing with final disposal of Covid-19 wastes. They made this suggestion as used face masks, hand gloves and white gowns dumped here and there amid the pandemic of coronavirus are posing threat of further contagion.
They came up with the suggestion when the government was yet to ensure a safe management of the COVID-19 wastes in the country. They noted that the government should adopt a viable safe disposal method as early as possible as the coronavirus infection cases are increasing alarmingly with environment hazards in the highly-infected Dhaka and other cities and towns across the country. Md Sazzadul Haque, an environment thinker and academic researcher, said incineration of the COVID-19 related waste is the only way of dealing with this threat. “Being contagious in nature, the COVID-19 has the potential of further transmission through additional carrier and waste collectors and people living next to these open dumping zones,” he said. Echoing Sazzadul Haque, many public health experts said the COVID-19 waste might be a source of coronavirus infection if they were not managed safely as the virus stays alive for several days on objects.
Referring to study findings of some provinces of China, he said, they use cement kilns and other industrial furnaces for burning hazardous waste. Bangladesh has also a number of cement industries. It can think of using controlled furnaces to burn the hazardous wastes.
In addition, he also suggested using the brick kilns located nearby Dhaka and other cities. Noted virologist and former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Nazrul Islam said all measures including quarantining, isolation and lockdowns to control the spread of the disease would go in vain if COVID-19 wastes were not managed safely. “COVID-19 waste is a confirmed source of the coronavirus infection and it can infect others at any stage,” he said. Dr Lenin Chowdhury, Joint General Secretary of Paribesh Banchao Andolan, said the virus Covid-19 can be back from the dumped wastes.
“The authorities concerned should look into some effective methods such as industrial furnaces and brick kilns. If they fail then COVID-19 hazardous waste will be a further threat to the community,” he said.
Talking to the Daily Observer Dhaka North City Corporation Chief Waste Management Officer Commodore M Saidur Rahman on Sunday said they were going to launch separate management of such wastes from Tuesday. “We have planned a massive public awareness campaign, training for our waste collectors and safe disposal of the wastes,” he said. He said the DNCC asked PRISM, a non-government organisation managing city medical wastes, to dispose of the medical waste generated at the community level.
Dhaka South City Corporation’s Additional Chief Waste Management Officer Mohamamd Mizanur Rahman admitted that the DSCC was yet to start separate COVID-19 waste management, saying that they would start one soon. He said they would start collecting the waste separately and dispose of them with other medical waste in cooperation with PRISM.
(The writer is a Senior Staff Correspondent of The Daily Observer and a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020. She can be reached at [email protected])
May 19, 2021
Cigarette Butts
Alfi Shahreen Chowdhury: When you think about plastic waste, you think about plastic bottles, food wrappers, and grocery bags. Do you know what is the top plastic polluter is? It is cigarettes butts. Yes, that 30 mm extended filter is the leading plastic polluter. Not only smoking destroys health, but it also destroys the environment. Now, its butts are contributing to plastic waste.
Each year the consumption of cigarettes is more than 5 trillion. The estimated weight of 5 trillion cigarettes butts is about 1 billion kg. The white wool looking thing inside the filter of cigarettes is actually a form of plastic called cellulose acetate. This plastic material takes eighteen months to ten years to decompose. That is a very long time. Harmful toxins are found inside these butts that are hazardous to marine life. It also slows the growth of plants.
What is the solution to this problem? You may have been thinking that smoking should be ban. Because it is harmful to both health and the environment. However, in Bangladesh, many people earn their living by selling cigarettes. They will be unemployed. Another fact is that quitting smoking is not a piece of cake. Smoking is very addictive; the process of quitting is very long. A chain smoker has to go through a significant amount of means to quit smoking. If we ban smoking tomorrow, the people who are addicted to smoking will go through many severe mental health problems. The tobacco companies are paying a tremendous amount of tax to the government. So banning smoking is not the solution.
I will suggest that the government should take action. The action is that every stall or shop that sells cigarettes must keep a particular bin. That bin is specifically designed to collect cigarette butts. Therefore, it is easier to collect cigarette butts. Another action should be that the government should penalize people who throw cigarette butts on the street. The fined money should be 50 takas, so it is not harsh on citizens.
If you are thinking, we will collect these cigarette butts and dumped it in the river. You are wrong. Because if we do that, we are ultimately destroying the environment. So what should we do? We should recycle it. Now, I will tell you how we can reuse it. The cigarette butts have two major components, one is paper another is fiber. These papers can be turned into mosquito repellents. However, these fibers contain toxic materials that can be removed by using a particular chemical. This solution for recycling cigarette butts was made by an Indian man named Naman Gupta.
This solution deals with one problem created by smoking. However, it does not deal with carbon emission released in the atmosphere due to smoking. Therefore, my writing is to solve a challenge, not to justify smoking.
(The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020 and can be reached at [email protected])
May 17, 2021
Bangladesh Faces the Anticipated Threats of Electronic Waste
Maisha Binte Sultan: Today, men are crippled without the intervention of technologies. The sum of electronic waste or e-waste has increased exponentially over the last few decades with the unprecedented rise in electronic usage as it becomes more accessible and cheaper.
According to the United Nation’s Global E-waste Monitor report 2020, 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2019 and only 17% was recycled in that year. Bangladesh is not spared from the curse rather it generated 400 thousand tonnes of e-waste in 2018 (20% increment each year) with only 3% recycling of the e-waste, as reported by the Department of Environment, but Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) reported it to be 2.95 million tonnes of e-waste with only 10% recycling. The toxic hazardous substances released from these e-wastes are amending the healthy environment that culminates in the disruption of human metabolism and aquatic ecosystem.
The management of e-waste is becoming a challenge as the developing countries suffer more from the e-waste disposed by the developed countries. By enhancing the collection and recycling processes, the efficiency of e-waste management system is ensured. For that, both the formal and informal sectors must play pivotal role to tackle e-wastes.
Annually, the major portion of e-waste is generated from the ship breaking yards in Bangladesh. The lack of investment and technically skilled human resources causes the ostensible recycling in the country to adopt unsafe measures like burning of the e-scraps and rest are thrown into landfills, rivers, drains, lakes, and open spaces. These releases toxic heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium and also plastics, copper, aluminum along with organic pollutants such as polychlorinated bi-phenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers etc. into the environment.
Dismantling or shredding of e-waste, releases metal particulates into the immediate environment where the health of workers (particularly child laborers) are often seriously and chronically affected. The coarse particles directly contaminate soil; runoff accumulates hazardous components into the surface water which finds its way into underground water resources which is the main source of drinking water.
The contaminants enter the food chain of aquatic lives and in food crops thus eventually end up in human body through the phenomenon of bio-accumulation and bio-magnification. When exceeds the threshold level of contaminants concentration in human body causes cell disruption, metal toxicity, asthma, cancer, infant mortality, disability and other life threatening diseases. Now, inadequate legal framework and dysfunctional waste management system in Bangladesh heavily challenges it to face the emerging threats of e-waste.
The ever growing massive pile of e-waste is yet managed primarily by the informal sectors of Bangladesh. The current practices of e-waste management involve- Landfills, Incineration and improper recycling which are not environmental friendly and looks unsustainable in the long run. Lack of formal policies or direct enforcement of laws to manage e-waste caused the electronic companies to generate products without any consequences.
An integrated formal-informal approach for proper collection, treatment, and disposal systems of e-waste can lessen the unsolicited threats. The most widely used Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy and 3 Rs policy or Reduce, Reuse, Recycle initiatives are effective for integrated approach. EPR compels the companies to take back post-consumption products for recycling and to minimize the risk of electronic raw materials; precious metals like gold, platinum etc. are extracted from the recycling units worth billions of dollars.
Besides, adoption of eco-friendly recycling technologies and taxes on illegal dumping on landfill can only be possible through integrated approach. For the development of Bangladesh, it is inevitable to face the consequence of e-waste threat and act accordingly.
(The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020 and can be reached at [email protected])
May 14, 2021