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Tag: COVID

  • A Piece Consciousness means A Lovely and Fresh Environment

    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])

  • Coronavirus wastes posing threat of further contagion

    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])

  • Increase Prices of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products through Specific Taxation

    Increase Prices of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products through Specific Taxation

    Increasing the prices of tobacco products through effective taxation discourages the youth to start tobacco use as well as encourages the existing users, particularly those financially vulnerable, to quit. To achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh, the prices of cigarettes and other tobacco products should be increased through specific taxation, bringing these products beyond the purchasing power of the masses.

    MPs, economists, journalists, and public health experts expressed such views today during a virtual roundtable, jointly organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), titled ‘Tobacco Tax and Price Measures for a Tobacco-Free Bangladesh: Reality and the Way Forward. As PROGGA presented its budget proposals for FY 2021-22′ during the event, its estimation says implementation of such proposal would encourage 1.1 million adult smokers to quit, prevent premature deaths of 390,000 existing smokers and 400,000 youths. The proposals regarding supplementary duty, health development surcharge, and VAT on cigarettes would also earn the government an additional BDT 3400 crore in revenues.

    During the roundtable, Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, said, “Each year before the budget, we raise our demands to increase tobacco taxes. Unfortunately, the national budget never reflects our demands. Our constitution has declared that this republic belongs to its people. The constitution has also bestowed the sacred responsibility of safeguarding public health on the State. So, our Honorable Prime Minister voiced her vision for a tobacco-free Bangladesh considering all such aspects. Those who are putting obstacles in the way need to be identified.” 

    Eminent economist and the convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, “It is quite frustrating for us to find NBR saying the increase in tobacco taxes would harm the poor. The reality is quite the contrary. An increase in tobacco taxes benefits the poor the most.” In addition to supporting the budget proposals, Mr. Kholiquzzaman also called for the reinstatement of export duty on tobacco. Professor Dr. A A M S Arefin Siddique, Chairman of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, said, I hope those involved in the formulation of the national budget would incorporate at least some of these demands. He also focused on including lessons on the detrimental effects of tobacco in the national curriculum and other co-curricular activities.

    Additional Director-General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof. Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora opined that reducing the affordability and use of cigarettes through tax increases allows the people, particularly the poor, to spend more on nutrition and other necessities. She emphasized that adopting a coordinated plan regarding tobacco control would push for increasing taxes, raising awareness and implementing the existing law.

    Dr. Nasir Uddin Ahmed, former Chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR), said, One of the major impediments in realizing such proposals in the national budget is the government’s investment in British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) as well as the tobacco industry’s influence on NBR. He urged the Finance Minister to increase the prices of tobacco products in the upcoming budget and also to divest the government’s involvement in a tobacco company. Prominent Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of TV Today Mr. Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said, “Materializing a commitment made by the Honorable PM requires additional effort from those in policymaking level. Unfortunately, we cannot find any such effort in this case. We must be sincere in this regard.”

    Abdul Quayum, Associate Editor of the Daily Prothom Alo, said, “Use of bidi and cigarettes causes diseases and thus increases medical expenses which, in turn, makes the poor even poorer. We need more campaigns to raise awareness regarding such devastating consequences.” Dr. Syed Mahfuzul Haque,

    National Professional Officer, World Health Organization (WHO) said, “We want to raise taxes on tobacco products so that it reduces the affordability of these products among the poor demographic and also discourages the youth to start its use.” He also told that due to the inelastic nature of tobacco demand, it would also increase government revenue.

    The Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), Dr. Mahfuz Kabir said, the users of low-tier cigarettes constitute around 70 percent of total smokers. So, if we can increase the price of this tier through specific taxation and raise it closer to the medium-tier, it would not only reduce use but also increase government revenue manifold.

    Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Bangladesh said, once the prices of tobacco products are increased, the use of these items among the poor decreases. He urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to play a more pro-active role in tobacco taxation.

    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.

    To raise tobacco taxes and prices, the following proposals for upcoming budget for FY 2021-22 were presented during the press conference:

    Budget Proposals:

    • Introduce a tiered specific excise (supplementary duty -SD) with uniform tax burden (SD share of 65% of final retail price) across all cigarette brands
    • In the low-tier, the retail price should be set at 50 for 10 sticks, followed by BDT 32.50 as specific supplementary duty (SD).
    • In the medium-tier, set the retail price at BDT 70 for 10 sticks and BDT 45.50 should be imposed as specific supplementary duty (SD).
    • In the high-tier, the retail price should be set at 110for 10 sticks, followed by BDT 71.50 as specific supplementary duty (SD).
    • In the premium-tier, set the retail price at BDT 140 for 10 sticks and BDT 91 should be imposed as specific supplementary duty (SD).
    • 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 BDT 25, followed by a specific supplementary duty of BDT 11.25. The price for 20 filtered sticks should be BDT 20, which will be followed by a specific supplementary duty of BDT 9. As a result of such measures, in both filtered and non-filtered bidis, 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 BDT 45 and 25 respectively. A specific supplementary duty of BDT 27 should be imposed on per 10-gram jarda. For gul, the specific supplementary duty should be BDT 15. As a result of such measures, in both jarda and gul, the specific supplementary duty will be 60 percent of final retail prices.
    • Retain the existing 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) and 1% Heath Development Surcharge on all tobacco products.

    Implementation of the above-mentioned proposals for tax and price hike of tobacco products 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 as additional revenue from the supplementary duty, health development surcharge and VAT imposed on cigarettes. At the same time, price hikes of bidi, jarda and gul would also discourage the use among the poorest and most vulnerable demographic while contributing to govt. exchequer.

    The existing multi-tiered ad-valorem taxation has rendered cigarettes quite cheap and affordable in Bangladesh. Following a price hike, consumers conveniently switch to cheaper brands instead of quitting. According to the 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 numbers reveal that the existing tobacco tax structure has not been contributing to make Bangladesh a tobacco-free country by 2040, as envisioned by the Honorable Prime Minister.

    With the ongoing second wave of the COVID 19 pandemic, the health sector and overall economy of the country are going through precarious conditions. If tobacco use goes unchecked during such a period of vulnerability, it would put an additional risk for public health. According to World Health Organization (WHO), smokers are more likely to become severely ill when infected with covid-19. This makes the existing tobacco users, around 40 million in number, extremely vulnerable to severe COVID 19 infection. In Bangladesh, tobacco use claims 126,000 lives prematurely each year.

    In a 2019 study titled “Economic Cost of Tobacco Use in Bangladesh: A Health Cost Approach”, it was revealed that in 2017-18, the economic cost (medical expenses and loss of productivity) of tobacco use stood at BDT 30,560 crore while revenues from tobacco sector in 2017-18 FY was only BDT 22,810 crore. Raising the prices of tobacco products would discourage the youth from starting use and getting addicted while encouraging the existing users belonging to the poor demographic to quit.

    Source: PROGGA Knowledge for Progress

  • Reduction of Carbon Emission: A Light of Hope in a Blind Alley

    Reduction of Carbon Emission: A Light of Hope in a Blind Alley

    Nusrat Jahan Labonnayo: Excess Carbon emission is a poignant reality for us. Much of the apprehension about climate change is directly attributable to increasing global temperature, a by-product of the ever-increasing rate of carbon emission. However, we have taken this era-defining challenge for granted for far too long. Consequently, our sea level is gradually rising and might eventually result in environmental catastrophe. Saltwater intrusion might become a new normal for countries like Bangladesh, causing massive internal displacement and changing our agricultural landscape forever. 16-17 southern districts may be inundated by saltwater by the end of the century. Hence, it is imperative that we control the emission of toxic elements like Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. to avoid the aforementioned deleterious consequences.

    To understand the ramifications of carbon emission, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist. Evidently, our world is in an appalling situation because of it. However, here I bring about a new perspective for the reader. During lockdown for COVID-19, Environmentalists have observed dramatic healing taking place. Pollution significantly decreased in many countries and Bangladesh was no different.

    Long story short, the lockdown from mid March to mid April essentially forced industries to shut down resulting in zero to negligible carbon emission. So far this year, the lockdown leading to global economic shutdown has reduced carbon emission by more than 8%. Furthermore, by evaluating the data from the air quality index during the period of lockdown, Dhaka’s air quality has improved 30% or higher.

    Hence, we can confidently claim that the industrial and power sectors are mostly responsible for carbon emission and the population plays a trivial role in air pollution. However, we understand the impossibility of shutting down essential industries or total mitigation of carbon emission. The motivation for this article, therefore, is to introduce some systematic plans to minimize carbon emission.

    Some media sources presented the improvement of our climate during lockdown as a silver lining. However, these temporary solutions are at best, weak swords that won’t absolutely eradicate the problem. Rather, a sustainable structural transformation is required in order to steer clear from this impending disaster. We’ve to reduce carbon footprints by any means & acknowledge this as an urgent priority. Furthermore, government intervention in various sectors of business is required to ensure environmental protection.

    Environmental policies should be introduced & implemented regarding carbon emission reduction and our government should make sure that those policies are compatible with our country’s environmental and economic development.

    In addition, it might be worthwhile to go over concrete actions like carbon tax and carbon trading. Here carbon tax means a charge being imposed on the carbon content of fuels & carbon trading is an alternative system where the state sets the total emission volume for each polluting industry and grants these pollution rights to industries through an auction scheme. The Government may also offer incentives or rewards to business entities who performed well in maintaining these rules and used more eco-friendly tactics to reduce negative externalities.

    While we might go ahead & enjoy the benefits of large-scale economic growth and structural change, we should also note that under no conditions should we allow our ecosystem to get deteriorated any more than it already has. Therefore, timely implementation & prompt execution of green policies must be ensured and public-private collaborations should be integrated into those policies. If everything goes accordingly, hopefully by the end of this century, our future generation won’t have to become the poster-children for UNHCR’s fundraising campaign & we’ll have cleaner air to breathe.

    (The writer is a participant of National Environmental Writing Contest 2020. She can be reached at [email protected])

    Featured Image Courtesy: Nicolas Herrbach