NGO News Archives - TheStatement24

May162025 by TS ReportNo Comments

DORP Youth Forum Demands Minimum Price of Tk 90 for a 10-Stick Cigarette Pack

The DORP Youth Forum has called for the merger of the low and medium tiers of cigarette pricing and set the minimum retail price at Tk 90 for a 10-stick pack. The demand was raised during a human chain held in front of the National Press Club on Thursday (15 May), urging the government to increase the price and tax on all tobacco products and to reform the existing tobacco tax policy in the upcoming 2025–26 national budget. Over a hundred university students participated in the demonstration, held as part of the campaign to achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh and protect public health. Speakers at the event stated that the affordability and easy availability of cigarettes in Bangladesh have significantly contributed to an increase in smoking among youth, posing a serious threat to public ...

May132025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Demand for Effective Taxation on Tobacco Products in the Upcoming Budget

Breaking News, NGO News

Researchers, doctors, media professionals, and tobacco control experts have called for an increase in tobacco product prices and the imposition of effective taxes in the upcoming 2025–26 national budget to protect public health by reducing tobacco use. They made this appeal during a press conference titled “Demand for Price Increase and Effective Taxation on Tobacco Products in the Upcoming 2025–26 Budget for the Protection of Public Health,” organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission at the National Press Club on May 13, 2025. The speakers demanded that the lower and medium tiers of cigarettes be merged and that the minimum retail price of a 10-stick cigarette pack be set at BDT 90. They stated that since the price difference between the lower and medium tiers is minimal, users often switch...

May112025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Young Doctors Urge Cut in Cigarette Price Tiers Four to Three to Curb Consumption

Breaking News, NGO News

Cigarettes are extremely cheap and easily accessible in Bangladesh, posing a serious threat to public health—especially among the youth. To reduce this accessibility, young doctors have called for effective taxation and price hikes on cigarettes. They are urging the government to reduce the existing four-tier cigarette price structure to three and increase cigarette prices in the upcoming national budget. The demand was made at a press conference held today (Saturday, 10 May 2025) at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Hall of the National Press Club. The speakers said that restructuring the cigarette tax framework and increasing prices, as per their proposal, would discourage consumption and boost government revenue. The press conference was organized by Platform Doctors Foundation with th...

May72025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Demand for Reducing the Number of Cigarette Price Tiers

Breaking News, NGO News

Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) has called for reducing the number of cigarette price tiers from existing 04 (four) to 03 (three) in the upcoming 2025-26 FY national budget. The low and medium tiers of cigarettes, if merged into one, would discourage the youth and the poor from getting hooked on smoking and simultaneously would increase revenue inflow for the government. Experts said this today (7 May 2025, Wednesday) during a meeting of ATMA members, held at the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra of the Capital. As per the proposals presented during the meeting, the low and medium tiers should be merged into one and prices for 10 sticks of the merged tier should be set at BDT 90. The retail price of high-tier cigarettes should be kept at existing BDT 140 for 10 sticks. The prices for 10 sticks of ...

May72025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Bangladesh Just Transition Academy launched

Breaking News, NGO News

The International Labour Organization (ILO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Laudes Foundation, and Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) came together to organize the Bangladesh Just Transition Academy on 6 May 2025. The Bangladesh Just Transition Academy is a two-day event happening in Dhaka on the 6-7th May 2025 convening key national stakeholders to reflect on and improve the understanding of what a just transition towards an environmentally sustainable and resilient economy and society means for Bangladesh. The Academy involves panel discussions among stakeholders, presentations from youth climate entrepreneurs, interactive breakout sessions, and is expected to culminate in a call to action between the government, employers’, and workers’ organizations to ...

May62025 by TS ReportNo Comments

9 Recommendations by Dhaka Ahsania Mission to Prevent Road Crashes during Eid-ul-Azha”

Breaking News, NGO News

Road crashes continue to claim lives across the country every day. According to information released by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, 132 people were killed and 208 injured in 110 road crushes over a span of 8 days. Similarly, BRTA reports that during the last Eid-ul-Azha, 215 people were killed and 278 injured in 216 road crashes over 12 days. Despite numerous measures taken to prevent road crashes in the country, the rate of crushes remains alarmingly high. Therefore, for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, Dhaka Ahsania Mission has put forward 9 recommendations to prevent road crashes. On Tuesday (May 6) at 11:30 AM, during an event titled "The Role of Media in Strengthening Road Safety" organized by the Health Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission ...

May42025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Top Cancer Experts and 150 Doctors Urge Tobacco Tax Hike to Save Lives in Bangladesh

Breaking News, NGO News

To discourage tobacco use and protect the public from its devastating impact and associated health risks, the country’s leading cancer specialists, along with 150 doctors from Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital, have called on the government to increase the price and tax on tobacco products. In a powerful joint statement, they have urged the government to increase tobacco taxes and prices to discourage use and protect public health. The signatories include eminent cancer specialists such as Prof. Dr. Syed Akram Hussain, Member of the Health Sector Reform Commission and Senior Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy at Square Hospital; Prof. Dr. M A Hai, Director of the Bangladesh Cancer Society Hospital and Welfare Home; Prof. Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, President of ...

May12025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Call to Eliminate Depictions of Smoking in Films for the Sake of Adolescents and Youth

Breaking News, NGO News

Film industry professionals believe that 99% of characters can be portrayed without showing smoking, drug use, or other negative behaviors. They emphasized that directors, producers, scriptwriters, and actors must remain conscious of their social responsibility. To protect adolescents and young people, scenes involving smoking, drugs, and other harmful content must be avoided in films. Everyone should show respect for the National Broadcasting Policy and the Public Health Act. This call to action came during a discussion titled "Say No to Tobacco and Drugs in Films" held on April 29 at the Bangladesh Film Archive Auditorium, organized by MANAS (Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse). The event was chaired by MANAS founder and president, valiant freedom fighter Professor Dr. Arup ...

Apr302025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Obstacles to availability of vitamin-enriched safe edible oil must be removed- Speakers at journalists’ workshop

Breaking News, NGO News

To build a healthy, disease-free generation in the country, it is essential to ensure the availability of vitamin-fortified safe edible oil. However, the marketing of loose edible oil in drums poses a major obstacle. At the same time, fortifying edible oil with vitamin D and ensuring quality packaging are extremely important. Experts opined these at a journalists' workshop titled "Vitamin Fortified Safe Edible Oil for All: Progress, Challenges and Way Forward" that took place at BIP Conference Room of the Capital on 29 April 2025. The workshop was jointly organized by the research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh. Twenty-six (26) journalists from print, television, and online media houses participated in the workshop....

Apr292025 by TS ReportNo Comments

Obstacles to availability of vitamin-enriched safe edible oil must be removed- Speakers at journalists’ workshop

Breaking News, NGO News

To build a healthy, disease-free generation in the country, it is essential to ensure the availability of vitamin-fortified safe edible oil. However, the marketing of loose edible oil in drums poses a major obstacle. At the same time, fortifying edible oil with vitamin D and ensuring quality packaging are extremely important. Experts opined these at a journalists' workshop titled "Vitamin Fortified Safe Edible Oil for All: Progress, Challenges and Way Forward" that took place at BIP Conference Room of the Capital on 28 April 2025. The workshop was jointly organized by the research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh. Twenty-six (26) journalists from print, television, and online media houses participated in the workshop....