Background:
Despite the clear evidence of harmful effect of smoking on health and the leadership role taken by physicians to curb tobacco use, studies have shown that large number physicians still smoke. Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009 in Bangladesh showed that more than 44% male smoke and average age at initiation of daily smoking was 19 years. Present study conducted to compare the prevalence and initiation of smoking among the physicians and general people of Bangladesh.

Methods:
A cross sectional study conducted between the periods of April to December 2013 in purposely selected one teaching hospital, one district hospital and one upazila health complex from each division of Bangladesh to find out the prevalence and initiation age of smoking among physicians. Ethical permission was taken from Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC). Results of this study compared with the Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS) Bangladesh 2009.

Results:
Pre-tested questionnaire sent to 1975 physicians and 1580 physicians returned the completed questionnaire. The response rate was 80.0%. Mean±SD of age was 33.9±8.7 with a range of 22 to 59 years. Among them 78.0% were male and 22.0% were female. As there is no female current smoker in this study we further analyse smoking among the male physicians. Among the respondents 29.2% were ever smoker. Among them 23.9% were current smoker and 5.3% were ex smoker. Average age at initiation daily smoking was 20 years.

Conclusions:
Although smoking prevalence less in physicians and they initiate smoking in later age than general people in Bangladesh appropriate measures should be taken to prevent initiation of smoking during medical education. So they can be the role model for the general people.