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INTRODUCTION In Bangladesh, public transport drivers have been observed smoking while operating their vehicles, which can lead to passive smoking and pose health risks. Our objective was to investigate the compelling factors behind non-compliance with the smoke-free policy (SFP) among professional male public transport drivers (PTD) in urban Bangladesh. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted in Dhaka City from January to June 2020. Using systematic random sampling technique, we recruited 460 adult bus and human-hauler drivers who were smokers during a face-to-face interview. The univariate logistic regression was conducted to create the unadjusted model, and the backward stepwise regression was carried out for the adjusted model to identify the predictors of non-compliance with SFP. RESULTS Out of 460 PTD, 79% were non-compliant with SFP during the interview, and their underlying causes were found to be trip-based salary structure (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=0.28; 95% CI: 0.08-0.95); tendency to smoke when there is no passenger inside (AOR=10.23; 95% CI: 2.44-42.89), fondness of the first cigarettes in the morning (AOR=3.91; 95% CI: 1.05-14.57), and knowledge of the tobacco control law of Bangladesh (AOR=0.24; 95% CI:0.07-0.81). CONCLUSIONS This innovative research found some of the factors of being non-compliant with SFP among public transport drivers. An amalgamating effort from the government and the authority of drivers and vehicle owners is necessary to act in this regard, where the government would monitor the degree of SFP, and the unions would safeguard the safety and health of the drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]