141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

282028
Tobacco products marketing in urban Bangladesh – a rapid assessment

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Shamin Talukder, Dr , Eminence, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Shusmita Khan , NCD, Eminence, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Introduction: smoking is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh alike many other developing countries. There are more than 57,000 deaths attributed to tobacco use each year, about one in six of all deaths among Bangladeshis of 30 years or older.

Method: The rapid assessment covered 90 wards of Dhaka city where total 43 dealers identified and selected as respondent. The assessment followed cross-sectional design using both qualitative and quantitative methods. In addition relevant documents, contents and literature were reviewed to identify the context and relevance for the rapid assessment.

Results: The rapid assessment shows that both “British American Tobacco Company” (BATC) (37.2%) and “Dhaka Tobacco” (37.2%) behold majority part of the cigarette dealers. While “Abul Khayer” behold major part (94%) of the Bidi dealership and 25.6% cigarette dealership around Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) areas. The study reveals that within last three years the amount of money earned by selling cigarettes has increased significantly. In 2008 around 30.2% of the dealers earned more than 10 crore which rose to 46.5% in 2010. This implies, according to the product selling amount within last three years the business of selling cigarettes has grown significantly.

Conclusion: Unfortunately Bangladesh is still one of the lowest tobacco priced country, making this deadly commodity more available to the people living under poverty line. Measures need to be undertaken to increase tobacco taxes significantly to solve this issue.

Learning Areas:
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control

Learning Objectives:
Assessing the marketing pattern of tobacco products in urban Bangladesh

Keywords: Tobacco Industry, Marketing

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been involved in multiple government funded grants focusing on the epidemiology of NCDs and risk factors. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies for prevention and control of NCDs in Bangladesh.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.