WUB Hosts SDG Seminar on "Breathing Someone Else's Smoke: The Hidden Health Cost of Passive Smoking

The Department of Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ) at World University of Bangladesh (WUB) organized a seminar titled “Breathing Someone Else’s Smoke: The Hidden Health Cost of Passive Smoking” at the Founding Treasurer Morsheda Choudhury Auditorium on October 1, 2026. The seminar aimed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of passive smoking and promote a healthier, smoke-free campus in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

The event commenced with welcoming remarks from the Chief Guest, Professor Zaki Imam, Registrar of World University of Bangladesh, followed by an address from Kamrul Hossain, Joint Registrar. Both administrative leaders commended the department for spearheading health-focused behavioral campaigns and highlighted the shared responsibility of maintaining smoke-free academic spaces.

Delivering the keynote session, Resource Person Sadia Afrin Shayla, Manager of Social and Behavior Change Communication at BRAC, presented a comprehensive analysis of the multi-tiered dangers of tobacco consumption. She demystified the mechanisms of second-hand and third-hand smoking, illustrating how lingering chemical residues embed themselves into clothing, furniture, and local environments, endangering children, youth, and vulnerable populations long after a cigarette is extinguished.

The keynote presentation spurred an interactive question-and-answer session with student participants. Adding poignant personal perspectives to the discussion, Professor Zaki Imam and Kamrul Hossain shared their own lived experiences as lifelong non-smokers who nonetheless endure involuntary exposure to smoke from relatives, peers, and public spaces, urging students to commit to a total cessation of smoking for community welfare.

The seminar concluded with an address by Professor Dr. M. Zahangir Kabir, Head of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism, who reiterated the university’s unwavering commitment to cultivating a clean, smoke-free campus and thanked all participants for their proactive engagement. The proceedings were anchored and moderated by Sushmita Chakraborty Mishu, Coordinator of the Department of Media Studies and Journalism.

The event concluded with an official group photography session featuring guests, faculty, and participating students.