Tobacco Control Law Monitoring News
Bangladesh joined the ranks of countries taking tobacco control seriously when it passed its comprehensive tobacco control law on 26 March 2005.  Since then, BATA members have been working actively in cooperation with government and media to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of this law, which if properly enforced will have a tremendous impact on improving public health and reducing the contribution of tobacco to poverty.

NGOs are working actively to identify and collect cases of the industry breaking the law,
providing the information to government officials to assist them in the task of enforcement.  In the first year following passage of the law, about 15 NGOs have been working around the country on monitoring, and carried out other activities to raise awareness of the importance of the issue, including rallies, seminars, letter campaigns, workshops, identifying and labeling smoke-free places and smoking zones.

Involved NGOs, as of April 2006, are:  Rural Acting Arrangement Center (RAAC)-Jhenidah, Bangladesh Development Partnership Center (BDPC)-Dhaka, PIYAS-Chapai Nawabganj, Bangladesh Integrated Community Development-Rajshahi, AKOSH-Thakurga, MPUS-Dinaspur, TMSS-Dhaka Officer, Hunger Project- Dhaka, ASKS-Naogaon, SCOPE- Barisal, KNKS-Bagerhat, PJS-Jessore, Rural Vision (RV)-Meherpur, Sylhet Jubo Academy (SJA)- Sylhet, Protyasha-Dhaka, WACC-Dhaka,  Five Star Club-B-Baria, Manobik-Dhaka. DMSS-Joypurhat. 

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