The President of Bangladesh has issued the 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Use (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025', expanding the scope of public smoking restrictions and increasing penalties. The ordinance, released Tuesday night by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Law Ministry, raises the maximum fine for public smoking from 300 taka to 2,000 taka. It also broadens the definition of public places to include educational institutions, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, transport terminals, parks, and fairs. The amendment eliminates designated smoking zones, meaning no public place may now have a separate area for smoking. Smoking and tobacco use are also banned in building balconies, entrances, and surrounding open spaces. Additionally, the ordinance introduces mandatory standard packaging for tobacco products and increases the size of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs from 50 percent to 75 percent of the surface area. According to the government, these stricter measures aim to reduce tobacco use and protect public health nationwide.