Bangladesh media supports growers’ demands

Tobacco growers in Bangladesh have urged the government to support them in producing alternative crops, according to a story in The Financial Express.

They also want the government to formulate and implement policies for thwarting tobacco cultivation.

The farmers were said to have made these ‘demands’ at a press conference entitled Voice of victims: Non-profitable tobacco farming, allurement to harmful profit held on Wednesday at the National Press Club.

The Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance was said to have taken the initiative to support the farmers in placing their demands.

The Express story quoted conference participants as saying the government had no policies in place to control tobacco growing and that tobacco companies were encouraging marginal and helpless farmers into growing tobacco.

But the farmers were said to prefer tobacco cultivation for the ‘temporary profit’ it offered.