The Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 has come into effect following presidential assent, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said today.
According to the press wing, the ordinance became effective on December 30, 2025, subject to the President’s approval.
Under the new law, smoking and the use of all tobacco products have been prohibited in all public places and public transport. The penalty for violating this provision has been increased significantly—from Taka 300 to Taka 2,000.
The ordinance has also imposed a complete ban on all forms of tobacco advertisement, promotion and publicity across print, electronic, internet, social media and OTT platforms. In addition, the display of tobacco packets at points of sale has been prohibited.
It further bans the use of tobacco company names or logos in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, as well as financial sponsorship of any event or programme by tobacco companies.
The sale of tobacco products has been prohibited within 100 metres of educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, playgrounds and children’s parks.
A complete ban has been imposed on emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, vapes and heated tobacco products. The production, import, export, storage, sale and use of such products have been declared punishable offences, carrying a maximum punishment of six months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to Taka five lakh, or both.
Besides, the production, marketing and use of bidis made from kumbhi leaves and tendu leaves have been fully banned. As a result, the separate Bidi Manufacture (Prohibition) Ordinance, 1975 has been repealed, bringing bidi regulation under a unified legal framework.
The ordinance also makes it a punishable offence to mix any harmful addictive substances with tobacco or tobacco products.
Sale of tobacco products without standard packaging has been prohibited. The law requires coloured pictorial health warnings covering 75 percent of the tobacco pack.
To ensure effective enforcement, the ordinance has increased fines and jail terms, introduced provisions for cancellation of licences and seizure of goods in the case of companies, and incorporated procedures for conducting cases under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Earlier, the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had proposed strengthening the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005.
The main objective of the ordinance is to protect public health from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products, repeal the separate ordinance on bidi production through a unified law, and completely ban emerging tobacco products.
The ordinance has expanded the definition of “tobacco products” to include e-cigarettes, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), Heated Tobacco Products (HTP), nicotine pouches and all emerging products. The government has also been empowered to declare any such product as a tobacco product through gazette notification.
In addition, separate definitions of “nicotine” and “nicotine products” have been included, while the definition of “public place” has been broadened significantly.
