University-based Lecture Program on Tobacco Control
Different multi-national tobacco industries do aggressive brand promotion activities targeting educational institutions in Bangladesh. The industries do such activities by disguising the name of “Talent Hunt” programs. In most cases, the university authorities are unaware of their ill motivations. One of the multinational tobacco industries organizes “Battle of Mind” involving fresh graduates to promote itself in the guise of employment generation. With this prevailing situation, BTCRN and BCCP have been conducting a university-based Lecture Program on Tobacco Control to inform university students and faculty about the aggressive marketing techniques of the tobacco industries. Six University-based Lecture Programs on Tobacco Control have already been organized at the North South University, Northern University Bangladesh, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Southeast University, Daffodil International University, and Jahangirnagar University. The universities were pleased to collaborate with BCCP to organize the programs. Except for the first one, the rest four programs were organized on Zoom Cloud Meetings with live broadcasts on Facebook considering the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Vice Chancellors and senior faculties of the universities, representatives of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bloomberg Initiative (BI) partners and grantees, BTCRN, and Leaders in Tobacco Control Alumni Association attended the program as guests. The programs have created a lot of enthusiasm among the students, faculties, and administrative staff members of the universities as a huge number of participants attended the programs.