Death Clock Tallies Tobacco’s Toll in Bangladesh
January 16, 2013
Bangladesh has one of the world’s highest rates of tobacco use, with an estimated 58 percent of men and 29 percent of women using some form of tobacco. Tobacco kills 57,000 of the country’s citizens each year – an average of 156 people each day.
To raise awareness about tobacco’s deadly toll and the urgent need to strengthen Bangladesh’s tobacco control laws, health advocates have unveiled a public “Death Clock” in the capital Dkaha that keeps a running tally of deaths from tobacco each day. The Death Clock billboard is installed on one of Dhaka’s busiest roads, near the Prime Minister’s residence and Parliament.
Parliament is currently considering legislation to strengthen the country’s tobacco control laws, and the clock is a reminder that every day of delay carries a heavy price in lives.
The legislation would broaden the definition of tobacco products in the law to include smokeless tobacco, which is heavily used and a major cause of death and disease in Bangladesh. It would also tighten the current ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and increase fines for smoking in public places. It is on the agenda for discussion in the upcoming session of Parliament.
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