According to the estimation of 2015, government of Bangladesh and other government organizations have owned 11.45% share in the British American Tobacco Company, recently came up in various media. Having partnership in such product business that is harmful for public health and causes to death has questioned the government’s tobacco control activity. Though it is progressive that the government has reduced its shares from 30% to 11.45%, which is praiseworthy, but anti-tobacco activists think that the rest of the share should be withdrawn from deadly tobacco supplier BAT to mobilize the government's development policy. 

On 30 October 2016, anti-tobacco activists urged this in a human chain program organized by WBB Trust on the demand of withdrawal of government's share from British American Tobacco Company in front of National Press Club. In the Program, speeches given by Rafiqul Islam Milon, Advisor of Manobik; Helal Ahmed, Secretary General of Prottyasha Anti-Drug Club; Dr. Md Shah Alam Chowdhury, Additional Register of Dhaka International University; Amir Hasan, President of Green Mind Society; DM Saklayen, President of Janashartho Foundation; Syeda Anonna Rahman, Program Manager of WBB Trust; Touhid ud Doula Reza, Program Officer of AID Foundation.

‘On one hand the government's efforts on tobacco control and on the other hand, government’s shares in tobacco company and attempt of receiving profits from discouraged product creates questions about tobacco control efforts to the people’, speakers said. Because there are different government institution’s share in BAT so, they ignore and violates the tobacco control law. Moreover, tobacco control policy making process can be interrupted or delayed for this. Considering public health and the ethics, government should move away from this position. As a first signatory state of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), it is necessary to refrain from such activity that is conflicting with FCTC. Activists said government’s reputation would increase worldwide if government withdraw share from BAT and it is our expectation that government will take initiative very soon.