Member Organization Activities
BATA members have held press conferences, protests and demonstrations for the tobacco control cause. Click on the links below to view some of their activities.
Activities
BATA members engage in many activities to draw attention to the need for tobacco control law and policy. The events are often colorful as well as informational, and generate much media interest, thus reaching hundreds of thousands of people at little cost.
Funeral Procession for the Tobacco Dead
The Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) held a symbolic funeral march in honor of the millions of people around the world who have died from tobacco, and to demand strong tobacco control law to reduce these unnecessary deaths in future.
Over 300 people from 23 different organizations marched in the symbolic funeral through the streets of Dhaka on April 16, 2003. Most wore the traditional mourning color of white, and pinned black labels to their clothes, creating a strong visual effect enhanced by the bearing of the coffins.
Individuals addressing the rally mourned loved ones who have died from tobacco, and demanded laws stopping tobacco advertisements, placing stronger warnings on tobacco packets, and making public places smoke-free. Speakers pointed out that tobacco harms not only individual health, but also personal and national economy, and the environment. 
Tobacco kills not only directly, said the speakers, but also through passive smoking—the breathing of the thousands of dangerous chemicals in tobacco smoke by others. Spending on tobacco also takes money away from basic needs such as food, thereby contributing to the malnutrition of over ten million children each year in Bangladesh. The tobacco epidemic can only be reduced if the Government of Bangladesh enacts strong laws, emphasized the speakers.
The procession received tremendous media coverage. All four Bangladeshi TV stations covered the event in the evening news. The event was also covered by at least 25 of the nation’s newspapers, including some front page coverage.
Ongoing Activities
Training and creation and dissemination of materials to inform the public and NGO staff about the content of the tobacco control law and how to work for its implementation.
Planned Projects
Support to organizations throughout the country to support the government in ensuring enforcement of the tobacco control law.
Completed Activities
- A national workshop on tobacco control.
- Writing and printing of a book on tobacco and cancer, supported by the American Cancer Society (see materials).
- Various workshops on the FCTC, national law, and advocacy for tobacco control; as well as a series of capacity building classes on advocacy for tobacco control campaigners.
- Response to BAT's newly launched youth smoking prevention campaign. A report was disseminated and a press conference held.
- Workshops on tobacco control, supported by the American Cancer Society, were held in each of the six divisions of Bangladesh. The workshops educated NGO staff and media about the multi-sectional nature of the tobacco problem and possible responses. As a result BATA now has several experienced trainers for tobacco control, and BATA's network has grown to include many groups throughout the country.
- Translation into Bengali of the Hungry for Tobacco report and Bengali adaptations of the PATH Canada law briefing paper, and the PATH Canada comprehensive manual on tobacco control.
- Submission of tobacco control legislation to the Government of Bangladesh.
