Mobile courts used to bring smokers to justice

A mobile court in Bangladesh has been employed to hear cases brought against people for smoking in public places, according to a story in the Dhaka Daily Star.

On Tuesday, 17 people were said to have been fined for smoking on the premises of the deputy commissioner’s office and the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court.

During the crackdown, the mobile court fined each person Tk50 for violating the law banning smoking in public places.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s health minister has been urged by campaigners to be strict in implementing regulations requiring graphic health warnings to be included on tobacco packs.

Under a new law, which is expected to come into effect on March 19, tobacco manufacturers are required to include graphic warnings on the top half of packs.

But a tobacco industry group has written to the health ministry asking that the warnings be included on the bottom part of packs.