Project Name: Tobacco Control Advocacy for a Comprehensive TC Law Amendment and Tobacco Tax Increase
Duration: 01 March 2023 to 29 February 2024
Project Scope: National and Sub-national
Donor: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
Project Purpose: The project purposes are to protect people from second hand smoking through reducing smoking in the hospitality sector and public places by removing the Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) through an amendment of the current TC law. The purpose of the project is also to protect people from tobacco use by banning the DSA from public place, display of tobacco products at POS, single sticks sale, E-cigarette’s ban, banning of CSR and increase the size (90%) of Pictorial Health warning by TC law amendment. Project purpose is also increasing tax and price on tobacco products in FY 2023-24.
Project Summary: The project titled ‘’Tobacco Control Advocacy for a Comprehensive TC Law Amendment and Tobacco Tax Increase’’ is a continuation of ‘’Strengthening advocacy for a comprehensive amendment of Tobacco Control Law and increase tobacco tax’’ “Advocacy for law amendment especially, remove of DSA, TAPS Ban at POS, ban e-cigarettes and strengthen its implementation” “Mainstreaming the Tobacco Control Law for sustainable implementation and countering TI tactics & advocacy for tobacco tax policy reform” “Advocacy for mainstreaming, sustainable implementation of Tobacco Control Law & increasing tobacco tax and campaign against TI tactics”, “Advocacy for Comprehensive Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Dhaka City”, and “A Step towards Smoke-free Dhaka City” project which has implemented by DAM over the last 10 years.
The project has focused on advocacy with the government for banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale, ‘corporate social responsibility activities of TIs, the sale of single sticks and unpacked smokeless tobacco, the sale and import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products and increasing the size of graphic health warnings for tobacco products and removal of DSA in all public places, workplaces, and public transports by amending the TC Law and advocacy to increase tobacco tax.
Goal: Proposed amendment of Tobacco Control Law will be enacted and tax and price on tobacco products will be increased.
Objective and Outcomes:
Objective 1: To run advocacy engaging policymakers and relevant stakeholders to support TC law amendment proposed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) by 2023.
[Outcomes: Focused Ministries, Policy Makers and the hospitality sector will be sensitized and mobilized to support DSA removal and raised their voice for necessary amendment of the Law specially to ban DSA, product display at POS, single sticks sale and E-cigarette’s ban. They will be sensitized and will take various initiatives in this regard; like-sending request letter to the policy makers, social media campaign, discussion with relevant ministries etc.]
Objective 2: To engage policymakers and influencers to support increasing taxes and prices on tobacco products in FY 2023-24.
[Outcomes: Focused Ministries, Policy Makers, Actors, and Influencers will be sensitized and support increasing tax and price on tobacco products in FY 2023-24. They will be sensitized and will take various initiatives in this regard; like-sending request letter to the policy makers, human chain, social media campaign, discussion with relevant parties and ministries etc.]
Objective 3: To run a comprehensive media campaign and advocacy to support the TC law amendment proposed by the MoHFW and increase tobacco tax and price.
[Outcomes: Journalists and media mobilization will be accomplished through a comprehensive media campaign. Press conference on TC law amendment and increasing tobacco tax and price. Moreover, knowledge sharing meeting, follow-up, social media campaign, Facebook boost. Mass people will be aware through online live discussion programs, social media campaign and a good number of media stories will be published in different media.]
DAM Experience in Tobacco Control: Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) is one of the renowned and leading non-government development organizations in Bangladesh established in 1958. It was registered with the Department of Social Welfare and NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh Government. DAM is enjoying Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC and UNESCO. DAM is the Member of Framework Convention Alliance (FCA). Also the chairperson of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), member of National Taskforce Committee for Tobacco Control, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Executive Committee Member of Bangladesh Network for NCD Control and Prevention, Member of National Drug Addiction Prevention Board, Ministry of Home Affairs and Advisory Committee & Executive Committee members of National Anti-Tobacco Platforn, Bangladesh.
DAM launched its Anti-Tobacco Campaign Program in 1990. It was a multi-dimensional two-tier program, which depends mainly on voluntary involvement of youths, students, teachers and other conscious citizens.
DAM received national award from Anti-Tobacco Alliance in 2001 and Honorable Mention from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2015 for its outstanding contribution of tobacco control program. DAM has been awarded with Tobacco Control Award’2018 from National Anti Tobacco Platform leaded by PKSF for its outstanding contribution in tobacco control in Bangladesh. DAM also received World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director’s Special Recognition Award for excellent contributions to tobacco control in Bangladesh in 2020.
Tobacco Control Program
Address: House: 152, Block: Ka, Road: 06, PC Culture Housing Society,
Shyamoli, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Contact Person: Md. Shariful Islam, Project Coordinator
Phone: +88 02 58151114, +8801746260060
Email: sharifulislam@amic.org.bd
Web: http://dam-health.org/; https://www.amic.org.bd/