Dhaka WASA Declared 100% Smoke-Free

Dhaka WASA has officially declared its headquarters to be 100% smoke-free. The announcement was made by Md. Amirul Islam, Deputy Managing Director (Human Resources and Administration) of Dhaka WASA, during a stakeholder meeting held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the Buriganga Hall of the WASA building.

The event was jointly organized by the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP and Dhaka WASA to strengthen tobacco control activities and advance the goal of a tobacco-free Bangladesh.

In his speech as Chief Guest, Md. Amirul Islam emphasized that the harms of smoking extend not only to smokers but also to non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke. He noted that thousands of people visit the WASA building every day, and by ensuring a smoke-free workplace, both employees and service recipients can be protected from the dangers of passive smoking.

The welcome address was delivered by Mohammad Zobair Hasan, Deputy Executive Director of DORP, while the keynote paper was presented by Zeba Afroza, Project Coordinator of DORP’s Tobacco Control Project. In her presentation, she highlighted six key proposed amendments drafted by the Health Services Division, aligned with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

These included eliminating designated smoking areas in all public places and public transport to protect non-smokers, banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale, prohibiting corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies, introducing measures to protect children and youth from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, banning the sale of loose and single-stick tobacco products, and increasing graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging from 50% to 90%.

The meeting was presided over by Md. Abdus Salam Bepari, Chief Engineer of Dhaka WASA, and attended by special guests Md. Mustafizur Rahman, Deputy Managing Director (Finance), and Md. Mosiur Rahman Khan, Secretary of Dhaka WASA.

Participants in the meeting highlighted the serious health risks of tobacco, the urgent need for stronger tobacco control laws, and called on the government to swiftly pass the proposed amendments. They stressed that protecting public health requires strengthening tobacco legislation in the national interest.

At the conclusion of the meeting, anti-smoking message boards and stickers were installed at key locations throughout the Dhaka WASA building.