Strengthening advocacy for a comprehensive amendment of Tobacco Control Law and increase tobacco tax.

Project Name: Strengthening advocacy for a comprehensive amendment of Tobacco Control Law and increase tobacco tax.

Duration: 01 November 2021 to 31 October 2022

Project Scope:National and Sub-national

Donor: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

Project Purpose: The project purposes are to protect people from secondhand 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 youths from tobacco use by banning the display of tobacco products at POS, single sticks sale, and E-cigarette’s ban by TC law amendment. Project purpose is also increasing tax and price on tobacco products in FY 2022-23.

Project Summary: The proposed project ‘’Strengthening advocacy for a comprehensive amendment of Tobacco Control Law and increase tobacco tax’’ is continuation of “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”, “A Step towards Smoke-free Dhaka City” and “Advocacy for law amendment especially, remove of DSA, TAPS Ban at POS, ban e-cigarettes and strengthen its implementation” project which has implemented by DAM over the last 10 years.
The proposed project has focused on advocacy with government and campaign engaging policymakers and relevant stakeholders to support TC law amendment specially to incorporate provisions in the TC law to ban DSA, product display at POS, single sticks sale and E-cigarette’s ban. Moreover, advocacy with policymakers and influencer to support increasing tax and price on tobacco products in FY 2022-23. To support TC law amendment and increase tobacco tax and price, a comprehensive media campaign will also run through the project.

Goal:The Policy Makers, influencers and govt. authorities are sensitized and mobilized to ban DSA, product display at POS, single sticks sale and E-cigarettes ban through TC law amendment and to support increasing tax and price on tobacco products in FY 2022-23.

Objective and Outcomes:

Objective 1: To run a campaign engaging policymakers and relevant stakeholders to support TC law amendment specially to incorporate provisions in the TC law to ban DSA, product display at POS, single sticks sale and E-cigarettes ban by 2022.
[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 speciallyto ban DSA, product display at POS, single sticks sale and E-cigarette’s ban. They will be sensitized andwill 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 tax and price ontobacco products in FY 2022-23.
[Outcomes: Focused Ministries, Policy Makers, Actors,and Influencers will be sensitized and support increasing tax and price on tobacco products in FY 2022-23.They will be sensitized andwill 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 to support TC law amendment 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 and Journalist’s fellowship program will be run on the law amendment and tobacco tax issues by in-depth report publishing at least 04. 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/