NGO News

Aug132026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Ensure Youth Safety through Evidence-Based Drug Prevention: Speakers at International Webinar

An international webinar titled "Evidence-Based Drug Prevention" was held yesterday, 12 August (Wednesday), at 6:00 PM (BST) on Zoom. The event was jointly organized by the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing and the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Bangladesh Chapter to mark International Youth Day 2026. The seminar emphasized adopting modern, scientific methods to prevent drug use to protect the youth.Speaking at the webinar, Iqbal Masud, Director of the Health and Nutrition Sector at Dhaka Ahsania Mission and General Secretary of the ISSUP Bangladesh Chapter, stated, "The theme of this year's International Youth Day, 'Different Contexts, Shared Aspirations,' reminds us that despite varying life realities, all youth share the dream of a he...

Aug112026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Effective Action Needed to Reduce Hypertension Risk Among Young People- Speakers at International Youth Day Webinar

Breaking News, NGO News

The prevalence of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Bangladesh's young population is increasing at an alarming rate. Effective programs and sustainable financing are urgently needed to address this growing crisis. Speakers highlighted this critical concern today (11 August) at a webinar titled "Hypertension Risk Among Youth and the Way Forward: Bangladesh Perspective," organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) to mark International Youth Day 2026. Supported by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), the event was co-organized by youth networks, including Bangladesh Medical Students' Society, Platform Doctors Foundation, It's Humanity Foundation, and Give Bangladesh. Tomorrow, 12 August, the day will be observed with the...

Aug102026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Youth Demand Protection from the Harmful Effects of E-Cigarettes and Nicotine Pouches

Breaking News, NGO News

Anti-tobacco youth advocates of the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP have demanded protection for young people from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, along with the prompt formulation of rules under the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (amended in 2026).The demand was made by more than a hundred anti-tobacco youth advocates at a youth conference titled “The Role of Youth in Protecting Public Health from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco,” organized by the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital on Monday morning (10 August 2026), marking International Youth Day 2026.The conference was attended as the chief guest by Md. Akhter-Uz-Zaman, Director General of the National Tobacco C...

Aug42026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Department of Jute to Declare All Offices 100% Tobacco-Free: Director General

Breaking News, NGO News

The Department of Jute has pledged to declare all of its offices 100% tobacco-free as part of its commitment to protecting public health and shielding non-smokers from exposure to second-hand smoke under the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended in 2026). The announcement was made by Syed Md. Nurul Basir, Additional Secretary and Director General of the Department of Jute, while chairing a discussion titled "Measures to Ensure a 100% Tobacco-Free Environment in the Offices of the Department of Jute under the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2026," organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh at the Department's conference room on Tuesday. As part of the initiative, all offices under the Department of Jute will be declared...

Aug32026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Department of Cooperatives Committed to Ensuring a Tobacco-Free Environment

Breaking News, NGO News

The Department of Cooperatives is committed to ensuring a tobacco-free environment to protect public health and safeguard non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. To achieve this goal, the Department will undertake continuous initiatives to sensitize officials and staff on the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2026), ensure tobacco-free environments across all its offices, and strengthen collaboration with relevant stakeholders, said Md. Selim Fakir, Registrar and Director General (Additional Secretary) of the Department of Cooperatives.He made these remarks as the Chief Guest at an exchange meeting titled "Ensuring Tobacco-Free Environments in All Offices of the Department of Cooperatives," jointly organized by the Department of Cooperati...

Jul302026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

640 Public Transport Drivers Trained Under BRTA and DAM Initiative

Breaking News, NGO News

As part of a capacity-building initiative to ensure a sustainable smoke-free public transport system, a total of 640 public transport drivers have been trained under the auspices of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), with support from Dhaka Ahsania Mission.According to a press release issued by Dhaka Ahsania Mission, the program titled “Professional Skills and Awareness Development Training for Professional Drivers” was conducted in four phases during last of July 2026 at the Joar Sahara BRTC Bus Depot in the capital.During the training sessions, Adut Rahman Imon, Program Officer of the Tobacco Control Project of the organization, presented audio-visual materials highlighting the implementation of tobacco control laws and the health hazards of tobacco use. Participants...

Jul282026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association Calls for Stronger Tobacco Control Through Swift Formulation of Rules Under the Amended Tobacco Control Act 2026

Breaking News, NGO News

The Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association has called for the prompt formulation of the Rules under the Amended Tobacco Control Act 2026 and for stronger tobacco control measures to protect public health. The Association also urged the government to protect young people from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.The demand was made at a discussion meeting titled "Protecting Public Health from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco: The Way Forward" jointly organized by the Bangladesh Retired Government Employees Welfare Association and the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP at Obosor Bhaban in the capital on Tuesday (28 July 2026).Speaking at the meeting, Md. Ismail Hossain, Administrator of the Bangladesh Retired Government Employees We...

Jul222026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Company Pushes to Market Nicotine Pouches, PROGGA-ATMA Call for Ban

Breaking News, NGO News

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has recently initiated a process to formulate standards for nicotine pouches, a product considered harmful to public health. BSTI has undertaken this initiative by forming a Tobacco and Tobacco Products Technical Committee, which does not include representatives from the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) and tobacco control organizations. However, the committee includes representatives of tobacco companies. PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) have expressed alarm, stating that the involvement of tobacco companies in such a committee violates Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In a joint press release issued on 21 July, the two organizations called for a comp...

Jul162026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

620 Public Transport Drivers Trained Under BRTA and DAM Initiative

Breaking News, NGO News

As part of a capacity-building initiative to ensure a sustainable smoke-free public transport system, a total of 620 public transport drivers have been trained under the initiative of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) with the support of Dhaka Ahsania Mission.According to a press release issued by Dhaka Ahsania Mission, the program titled “Professional Skills and Awareness Development Training for Professional Drivers” was conducted in four phases during July 2026 at the Joar Sahara BRTC Bus Depot in the capital.During the training sessions, Adut Rahman Imon, Program Officer of the Tobacco Control Project of the organization, presented audio-visual materials highlighting the implementation of tobacco control laws and the health hazards of tobacco use. Participants were...

Jul152026 by Statement DeskNo Comments

Front-of-Package Labelling to Warn About Ultra-Processed Food Risks- Speakers at Journalists’ Workshop

Breaking News, NGO News

The consumption of ultra-processed foods and the associated risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasing at an alarming rate in Bangladesh. Introducing Front-of-Package Labelling (FOPL), simple warning labels on the front of food packages, can significantly curb the rise of NCDs by improving consumer awareness and supporting informed dietary choices. Through FOPL, consumers can identify at a glance whether a packaged food contains excessive amounts of salt, sugar, or saturated fat, enabling them to choose healthier options. To protect public health, the draft FOPL regulation should be finalized without delay. Speakers noted these remarks at a two-day journalists' workshop organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI),...