2nd Advocacy Training Workshop for Youth Representatives in Anti-Tobacco Campaign Organized by DORP
On Tuesday, September 17th, the Development Organization of the Rural Poor (DORP) organized the second day of the advocacy training workshop for youth representatives as part of its anti-tobacco campaign. This day-long session focused on constructive discussions regarding measures to combat various tobacco products and outlined a three-month action plan with the participating youth. The workshop will continue for five more days throughout the month.
The training program provided free training for over 25 young individuals. Mr. Abdus Salam Miah, Program Manager at CTFK Bangladesh, stated, "In the past, it was common to serve tobacco products like hookah, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco as part of hospitality. Today, people have moved away from such traditions, which is a positive change. However, smoking zones in offices and restaurants still exist, and the smoke from these areas continues to harm non-smokers. To protect public health, these designated smoking areas must be abolished."
He further added, "Our campaign is centered on three key objectives: reducing smoking habits among chain smokers, eliminating any inducement to take up smoking, and protecting women, children, and non-smokers from the harmful effects of tobacco. Achieving these goals will be much easier if we can implement our strategies through high-level authorities such as the Chief Advisor, advisors from various ministries, and senior government officials."
Mr. Md. Azhar Ali Talukdar, project advisor, remarked, "What the students have achieved through their reform movement in the last 15 years has eluded political parties. Therefore, I earnestly urge the youth to ensure the success of this anti-tobacco campaign. Protecting the younger generation from the clutches of tobacco is not only necessary but a prerequisite for the nation's future progress."
Rubina Islam, Program Coordinator of the Tobacco Control Project, addressed the trainees by saying, "According to the GATS 2017 report, 37.8 million people in the country use tobacco, which is alarming. This figure points to a public health crisis. If the tobacco control law is not strictly enforced, the situation will worsen, and more than 442 people will die every day from tobacco-related diseases. To curb this death rate, the government should adopt DORP's proposed taxation on tobacco products and significantly raise tobacco prices to control its consumption."
The meeting also highlighted several key proposals from the draft prepared by the health services division in alignment with the FCTC for tobacco control. These include eliminating designated smoking areas in all public places and transport, banning the display of tobacco products at sales outlets, prohibiting corporate social responsibility activities by tobacco companies, and banning the import, production, usage, and marketing of e-cigarettes and other emerging heated tobacco products. It also proposes to stop all forms of retail and open sales of tobacco products and increase the size of pictorial health warnings from 50% to 90%. Local administrations are expected to emphasize these issues.
It is worth mentioning that DORP has been involved in various development programs nationwide since 1987 and is widely recognized as the organization that introduced maternity allowance. So far, DORP has implemented numerous projects across 74 sub-districts in 30 districts of 5 divisions. In this continuity, DORP is currently working on tobacco control legislation and advocating for increased tobacco taxation while supporting the government’s achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
