Second meeting held of BPFHW

The second meeting was held of the 'Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing' (BPFHW), aiming to play a policy-making role in ensuring universal health care for all citizens of the country.

The meeting of the parliamentary forum was held in the swearing-in room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Thursday, said a press release issued by BPFHW.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Forum on Public Health Professor Md Habib e Millat; advisory council members Professor Dr AFM Ruhul Haque, ASM Firoz, Begum Meher Afroz Chumki, Mahabub Ara Begum Gini, Co-chairmen of the forum Md Shahiduzzaman Sarkar, Arma Dutt, Kazi Nabil Ahmed and Barrister Shamim Haider Patwari and forum members Nahim Razzak, Shirin Akhtar, Adv. Pir Fazlur Rahman, Adv Umme Kulsum Smriti, Dr Samil Uddin Ahmed Shimul, Professor Md Abdul Aziz, Syeda Zakia Noor, Shabham Jahan, Nahid Izahar Khan, Aparajita Haque, Adv Syeda Rubina Akhter and Adv Adiba Anjum Mita were present during the meeting.

In addition to discussions on amending the tobacco control law, it was decided during the meeting to issue a memorandum of understanding to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health regarding the ban on import, production, marketing and use of e-cigarettes.

Forum members also decided to provide public health services in different constituencies to commemorate Mujib Year, the release said.

During the meeting, the Forum Adviser and Member of Parliament ASM Firoz said, "As the people's representatives, we must take responsibility to ensure their proper health and safety. It is our duty to come forward and co-operate with the government in this regard."

Professor Dr Md Habib e Millat said, "As legislators, we have a responsibility to implement the goodwill of the government. We must come forward to fulfill that responsibility and work to protect the universal health of all the citizens of the country."

During the meeting, forum members decided to hold discussions with relevant authorities to take requisite policy-level action per the needs of the people, including organizing trainings on the effective role MPs could play in achieving universal health care.

It also pledged to expedite the implementation of health-related laws, per the Prime Minister's direction.