NGO News Archives - Page 6 of 18

Sep282025 by No Comments

NIOH collaborates with Roche Bangladesh to host a roundtable discussion on tackling Diabetic Retinopathy

On the occasion of World Retina Day 2025, the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIOH), in collaboration with Roche Bangladesh, hosted a multi-stakeholder roundtable discussion on the topic ‘Bridging Policy Task Shifting and Innovation: Tackling Diabetic Retinopathy’ on September 28, 2025, at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka. The event brought together several policymakers, healthcare professionals, INGOs, and private sector representatives to have a discussion on how Bangladesh can better tackle Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of vision loss in the country. Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is linked closely with the rising prevalence of diabetes, and it's one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in Bangladesh. Despite being a growing public health issue, early d...

Sep262025 by No Comments

Tobacco Companies Must Not Be Stakeholders in TC Law Amendment: Fisheries and Livestock Adviser

Breaking News, NGO News

Tobacco companies cannot in any way be stakeholders in the amendment of the Tobacco Control Law, said Farida Akhter, Adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. She stressed that the government will never take such an anti-public interest step, noting that tobacco companies’ manipulations have already delayed the amendment for far too long. “No more delay is acceptable. Just as the youth of Bangladesh drove fascism out of the country, they must now lead the way in eradicating tobacco,” she urged. The adviser was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion held on Wednesday (24 September 2025) at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital. The event, organized by the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP, was titled “Ensuring Public Health Protection by Passing the Proposed A...

Sep222025 by No Comments

Demand for the Immediate Passage of the Proposed Amendments to the Tobacco Control Act

Breaking News, NGO News

DORP Youth Forum has called for the swift passage of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act by the Ministry of Health, free from the influence of tobacco companies, in order to protect public health. They made this demand to help achieve a tobacco-free Bangladesh and to safeguard the next generation from the deadly grip of tobacco. On Monday (22 September 2025) at 11:00 a.m., during a human chain program organized by the DORP Youth Forum in front of the National Board of Revenue building at Agargaon, Dhaka, youth advocates reiterated their demand for the immediate passage of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act. Appealing to the Honorable Chief Adviser not to delay the process, the anti-tobacco youth advocates urged him to give utmost importance to the urgen...

Sep212025 by No Comments

Doctors Demand Boycott meetings with Tobacco Companies on Law Amendment

Breaking News, NGO News

Doctors and health professionals have demanded the swift passage of the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act for the protection of public health and prevention of non-communicable diseases, as well as refraining from holding meetings with tobacco companies regarding the amendment process. On Sunday (21 September), this demand was raised at a solidarity event organized by Dhaka Ahsania Mission in front of the National Parliament Building, calling for the immediate amendment of the Tobacco Control Act. Iqbal Masud, Director of Health and WASH Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, said that the use of tobacco products is one of the main causes of various non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and chronic respiratory diseases. In Bangladesh, more than 161,000 pe...

Sep202025 by No Comments

Experts Urge Strengthening the Law to Build a Tobacco-Free Generation

Breaking News, NGO News

Tobacco works as a major impediment towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh. In particular, tobacco frustrates SDG Target 3.4 which is to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one-third within 2030. In Bangladesh, 71% of all deaths are attributed to non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer, with tobacco use being a major contributing factor. On average, tobacco claims the lives of 442 individuals every day. With a view to achieving SDGs and preventing such massive loss of lives and building a tobacco-free generation, there is no alternative to strengthening tobacco control law. Experts said this today (20 September 2025, Saturday) during a roundtable titled "Building a Tobacco-Free Generation: Citizen...

Sep172025 by No Comments

Dhaka WASA Declared 100% Smoke-Free

Breaking News, NGO News

Dhaka WASA has officially declared its headquarters to be 100% smoke-free. The announcement was made by Md. Amirul Islam, Deputy Managing Director (Human Resources and Administration) of Dhaka WASA, during a stakeholder meeting held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the Buriganga Hall of the WASA building. The event was jointly organized by the Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP and Dhaka WASA to strengthen tobacco control activities and advance the goal of a tobacco-free Bangladesh. In his speech as Chief Guest, Md. Amirul Islam emphasized that the harms of smoking extend not only to smokers but also to non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke. He noted that thousands of people visit the WASA building every day, and by ensuring a smoke-free workplace, both employees and ...

Sep162025 by No Comments

Over a Hundred Physicians Demand Amendment of Tobacco Control Law

Breaking News, NGO News

To reduce tobacco-related diseases and deaths, more than one hundred physicians of the Bangladesh Diabetic Association (BADAS) have urged urgent amendment of the Tobacco Control Law. BADAS President and National Professor AK Azad Khan, BIRDEM Director General Professor Mirza Mahbubul Hasan, and Professor Dr. ArupRatan Choudhury, along with specialist doctors of BIRDEM Hospital, submitted a letter to the Health, Finance, and Commerce Advisors. Dr. ArupRatan Choudhury noted that tobacco-related illnesses are rapidly increasing, creating heavy pressure on hospitals and families. With 70% of healthcare costs borne by patients, rising disease burden and premature deaths threaten national development. He emphasized that all ministries must act together on tobacco control to protect public hea...

Sep112025 by No Comments

National Heart Foundation Welcomes Directive for 100% Tobacco-Free Health Facilities

Breaking News, NGO News

The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh has welcomed the Directorate General of Health Services’ directive to make all public and private hospitals and healthcare facilities 100% tobacco-free, calling it a “significant step” for public health. In a press release signed today (Thursday, 11 September 2025) by the President of the National Heart Foundation, Professor Dr. Khandakar Abdul Awal Rizvi, it was stated that following a letter from the Foundation on 23 July 2025, the Health Directorate has instructed all hospitals, medical and dental colleges, specialized hospitals, nursing colleges, and other healthcare institutions across the country to implement full tobacco-free environments. The directive aims to ensure a 100% tobacco and smoke-free environment for doctors, nurses, hea...

Sep92025 by No Comments

Demand for Swift Passage of Proposed Amendment to the Tobacco Control Law

Breaking News, NGO News

To safeguard public health and move towards a tobacco-free Bangladesh, Development Organisation of the Rural Poor-DORP organized a national seminar on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka. The event was titled “The Urgent Need to Pass Proposed Amendment to the Tobacco Control Law for Public Health Protection.” The seminar began with a welcome address by A.H.M. Noman, Founder and Chief Executive of DORP, followed by a keynote presentation by Mohammad Zobair Hasan, Deputy Executive Director of DORP. In his paper, Hasan highlighted six major proposals included in the draft amendment prepared by the Health Services Division in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). These are: eliminating designated smoking areas in public places and transpo...

Sep82025 by No Comments

647 Public Transport Drivers Trained by DAM and BRTA

Breaking News, NGO News

With the aim of proper implementation of Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) Act (Amendment-2013) initiative of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority-BRTA and Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Health Sector training has been provided to 647 public transport drivers at the Zoar Sahara BRTC Bus Depot in capital on September 8, 2025. Adut Rahman Imon, Program Officer of the Tobacco Control Project of the Health Sector of DAM, presented a documentary on the implementation of the Tobacco Control Act and health damage among professional drivers. In the training public transport drivers (Bus, CNG, Laguna, Tempu) are informed about the bad effects of direct and indirect smoking, health hazards, and tobacco control laws. Passengers, especially women and children, are indirectly exposed to smoke ...