NGO News

May72025 by No Comments

Demand for Reducing the Number of Cigarette Price Tiers

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 No 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 No 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 No 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 No 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 No 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 No 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....

Apr282025 by No Comments

Road reform is not possible without the enactment of a road safety law

Breaking News, NGO News

The Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing has claimed that road reform is not possible without the enactment of a road safety law. Today, Monday (28 April), at 11:30 AM, during a youth workshop on the Global Safe System Approach held at the organization’s conference room in Shyamoli, Dhaka, the young participants raised this demand.At the event, the young participants said that the number of injuries and deaths from road crashes in the country is steadily increasing. In the country's recent economic context, the financial loss due to road crashes amounts to approximately 2.5% of the GDP. According to the World Health Organization, road crashes are also one of the leading causes of death among people aged 5–29 years. Therefore, the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health a...

Apr282025 by No Comments

Directors’ Guild to Work for the Protection of Youth

Breaking News, NGO News

The Television and Digital Drama Directors' Association, 'Directors' Guild,' and the 'Actors' Equity' have committed to working for the protection of the younger generation. Drama directors and artists have agreed to avoid smoking, drug use, and other negative scenes and dialogues in television dramas to ensure healthy entertainment. They have also called for the proper implementation of public health laws and state regulations for the protection of youth.On the morning of April 27, 2025, at Niketan, Dhaka, speakers expressed these views at a discussion meeting titled "The Role of the Drama Industry in Protecting the Younger Generation," organized by MANAS (Society for the Prevention of Drug Abuse) and the Directors' Guild Bangladesh.The President of the Directors' Guild Bangladesh...

Apr262025 by No Comments

Youth Seminar Held at Dhaka University Demanding Amendment of Tobacco Control Law

Breaking News, NGO News

A youth seminar titled “Role of Youth in Strengthening Tobacco Control Laws and Building a Tobacco-Free Nation” was held on 24 April 2025 at the Dr. Sirajul Islam Lecture Hall of Dhaka University. The event was organized by the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing at 3 PM, with participation from students of various universities and colleges across the country. The primary objective of the seminar was to raise a strong demand for the prompt and effective amendment of Bangladesh’s tobacco control law and to involve the young generation in this advocacy movement.The event was graced by Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, as the Chief Guest. He expressed full agreement with the Youth Forum’s demand for strengthening the Tobacco Control Law. ...