tobacco – Ubinig

Conditions of women workers in Smokeless Tobacco factories in Bangladesh

5May

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

Conditions of women workers in Smokeless Tobacco factories in Bangladesh

UBINIG Investigation by UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative) Smokeless tobacco use in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, 20.6% of adult population (22 million) uses smokeless tobacco. The mostly used smokeless tobacco (SLT) products are Zarda, Gul and Sadapata. Overall among the 37.8 million tobacco users in the country, smokeless tobacco use is higher (20.6%) than smoking 18% [1]. Bangladesh ranks the third (after India & Nepal) highest smokeless tobacco use among 9 southeast and south Asian countries [2]. The Smoking and Tobacco Use (Control) Act. 2005, amended 2013 has included three smokeless tobacco products (Zarda, Gul and Sadapata) in the definition of tobacco products, bringing these under the purview of the law to regulate their use. Survey on Smoke...

Factors Inhibiting Payment of Taxes of Smokeless Tobacco Manufacturers Operating Outside the Tax Net in Bangladesh

17Apr

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

Factors Inhibiting Payment of Taxes of Smokeless Tobacco Manufacturers Operating Outside the Tax Net in Bangladesh

UBINIG Final Report Executive Summary a. This study: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use in Bangladesh is high, yet it is generally held that SLT manufacturing often occurs outside the tax net. This study examines SLT production, pricing and turnover for a sample of 88 SLT manufacturers operating outside the tax net and identifies factors perceived to contribute to non-payment of taxes by SLT manufacturers. b. Study methodology: The study incorporated a desk review of research literature on SLT manufacturing in Bangladesh and both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods; specifically, the NBR data on SLT manufacturers and their tax payment history, a survey of 88 SLT manufacturers operating outside the tax net, 15 key informant interviews (KIIs) and a ...

Smokeless Tobacco Products Business & Women

28Sep

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

Smokeless Tobacco Products Business & Women

UBINIG UBINIG Factsheet 1 August 2020 Bangladesh has high consumption rate of smokeless or chewing tobacco. One in five (20.6%) of adult population (22 million) use smokeless tobacco such as Zarda, Gul, Khaini and Sadapata. Among adult women, tobacco use that is smokeless tobacco, is 24.8%, smoking rate is less than 1%. In contrast, use rate of smokeless tobacco among adult men is 16.2% while smoking is 36.2%. Overall among the 37.8 million tobacco users in the country, smokeless tobacco use is higher (20.6%) than smoking 18% (GATS, 2017). The Smoking and Tobacco Use (Control) Act. 2005, amended 2013 has included three smokeless tobacco products (Zarda, Gul and sadapata) in the definition of tobacco products, bringing these under law to regulate their use. Bangladesh rank...

Women as low paid and exploited labour in Tobacco production

26Sep

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

Women as low paid and exploited labour in Tobacco production

Farida Akhter Equality of women in paid work has been a long demand of the women’s movement and is one of the primary focuses in the Sustainable Development Goal 5. The SDG 5, among the 17 goals, is about empowering women and promoting gender equality. Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is a basic human right; and also a pre-condition for achieving overall sustainable development. Like other countries, in Bangladesh, patriarchal social, economic and cultural factors contribute to the unequal and discriminatory position of women in the society; particularly reflected in the paid works. According to UNDP report, globally in the paid works outside of agriculture, women’s involvement has increased from 35% to 41%, i.e. only 14% increase from 1990 to 2000. With...

Tobacco ruins soil and water along Matamuhuri River, Bangladesh

11Dec

By testNo Comments

Tobacco, Uncategorized

Tobacco ruins soil and water along Matamuhuri River, Bangladesh

Farida Akhter Tobacco cultivation in Bangladesh has always been river-based to exploit the fertile soil. Tobacco, mostly Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) and Barley variety, is a company sponsored crop grown since the last five decades. According to official data for 2016, tobacco is grown on 46,472 hectares of land, producing 87,628 tons of tobacco leaf. Bangladesh ranks 14th for area under tobacco, 12th for production in quantity, and has a share of 1.3% of global tobacco production (FAOSTAT 2018). Tobacco cultivation has been expanded in Bangladesh, not due to increased interest of the farmers, but to appropriate fertile lands, source of fuel woods and water accessible for the tobacco industry. Fertile soil condition is an important factor for quality tobacco leaf production. Briti...

BANGLADESH Tobacco Farming: A threat to food security, environment and human health

27Sep

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

BANGLADESH Tobacco Farming: A threat to food security, environment and human health

UBINIG The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) recognizes the need to promote economically viable alternatives to tobacco production as a way to prevent possible adverse social and economic impacts on populations whose livelihoods depend on tobacco production. Moreover, Parties agreed to have due regard to the protection of the environment and the health of persons in respect of tobacco cultivation and manufacture. Article 17 regards the provision of support for economically viable alternative activities and Article 18 the protection of the environment in respect of tobacco cultivation and manufacture and the health of persons [1] Bangladesh became a Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on February 27, 2005. The Smoking and Tobacco Prod...

1Jun

By testNo Comments

Events/News

World No tobacco Day Award 2016

UBINIG || Wednesday 01 June 2016 UBINIG was awarded for its commendable contribution to tobacco control in Bangladesh Awards are offered every year on the World No Tobacco Day for significant contribution to tobacco control activities. UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative) has been offered the World No Tobacco Day Award 2016. UBINIG has been working with the farmers in Kushtia and Bandarban for cultivation of food crops shifting out of tobacco since 2006. In addition, UBINIG organized Tamak Birodhi Nari Jot (Anti Tobacco Womens’ Alliance), TABINAJ involving women’s’ organizations in 64 districts and has been working for controlling the use of smokeless tobacco products including jarda, sadapata, gul, etc. since 2011. Mr. Mohammad Nasim, M.P., Honourable Minister, ...

TABINAJ Fact Sheet: Smokeless Tobacco – Jarda, Sadapata and Gul

9Apr

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

TABINAJ Fact Sheet: Smokeless Tobacco – Jarda, Sadapata and Gul

Tabinaj Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of smokeless tobacco use in the world with 28 million users. It is mostly used among the adults (27.2%). Rates among women (27.9%) are slightly higher than among men (26.4%). It is also higher than the smoking rates (23%). The only difference is that among adult tobacco users men as smokers is 44.7%, and as users of smokeless is 26.4%; compared to adult women as tobacco users, women as smokers is only 1.5%, and as smokeless tobacco users it is 27.9%. In general, it is men mostly, who are using tobacco products in both smoke and smokeless forms[1]. Who are the Users? 1. Rural people Smokeless tobacco use is higher among adults in rural areas than in urban areas (28.8%) versus (22.5%). 2. Less educated people Smokeless t...

Impacts of Tobacco Cultivation on Agricultural Production in Bangladesh

17Nov

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

Impacts of Tobacco Cultivation on Agricultural Production in Bangladesh

UBINIG || Tuesday 17 November 2015 TOBACCO CULTIVATION IN BANGLADESH Tobacco has been introduced since mid sixties of the last century into the fields where food crops were grown, and more widely after liberation in 1971 by the British American Tobacco Company in Teesta silt in Rangpur area (Sarkar and Haque, 2001) 1. Tobacco production has mainly been pushed by big multinational companies such as British American Tobacco Company through contact growers (Sarkar and Haque, 2001). According to the official Agricultural Statistics (2010)2 three varieties of tobacco ‐‐ Jati, Motihari and Virginia ‐‐ are grown in different districts of Bangladesh. Jati and Motihari are mostly grown in Rangpur and Bandarban, while Virginia is mostly grown in Kushtia, Rangpur, Jessore and Dhaka. Ot...

TABINAJ Members trained to facilitate implementation of Law

24Aug

By testNo Comments

Tobacco

TABINAJ Members trained to facilitate implementation of Law

Tabinaj || Monday 24 August 2015 Control of the use of Smokeless tobacco (SLT) products has not been focused enough as a priority at national and international level. On global scenario, there are about 300 million SLT users in 70 countries, among them 89% are in India. India and Bangladesh make up 80% of the smokeless tobacco users of the world. The Tobacco control movement is more concentrated on “smoke-Free” rather than ‘tobacco free’ which may include both smoke and smokeless products. The inclusion of inclusion of smokeless tobacco products such as Jarda, Sada-pata and Gul in the definition of Tobacco in the amended Law (2013) is a step forward in the Tobacco control movement. However, because of social and cultural acceptability of the open use of Jarda, sadapata with bet...