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Tobacco Control Research Findings Dissemination Conference Held

Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) and Bangladesh Tobacco Control Research Network (BTCRN) in collaboration with the Institute for Global Tobacco Control based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH), Baltimore, USA organized a daylong Research Findings Dissemination Conference on Tobacco Control on February 10, 2020 at Lakeshore Hotel, Gulshan-2, Dhaka.
 
The findings of the nine research projects were presented in the conference through three scientific sessions. Of them, five were undertaken by student researchers of different public and private universities while other four were conducted by experienced researchers in different academic institutions and organizations. Besides, the research study under Tobacco Control Research Grant program and findings of 10 selected research studies were presented in the conference as posters through poster presentation.
 
Prof. Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, Director General, Directorate General of Health Services of Health Services spoke at the opening program as the Chief Guest. Prof. Dr. Sanya Tahmina, Additional Director General (Planning and Development), Directorate General of Health Services, Dr Rajendra Bohara, Team Leader (IVD), World Health Organization, Bangladesh Country Office and Dr. Joanna Cohen, Director, Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Maryland, USA spoke as Guests of Honor. Dr. Zeenat Sultana, Program Director, BCCP delivered opening remarks, while National Professor Dr. Brig. (Rtd.) Abdul Malik, President, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, and Advisor, Bangladesh Tobacco Control Research chaired the session.
 
Prof. Dr. Md. Iqbal Kabir, Director (Research and Planning), Directorate General of Health Services, Dr. Joanna Cohen, Director, Institute for Global Tobacco Control and Prof. Shah Monir Hossain, Senior Advisor, BTCRN spoke as Guests of Honor while Prof. Dr. Nawzia Yasmin, President, BTCRN chaired the closing program of the conference.
 
Dr. Joanna Cohen, Prof. Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, Project Director and Joint General Secretary, Bangladesh Cancer Society, Mr. Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Technical Advisor, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Prof. Dr. AFM Mafizul Islam, Vice Chancellor of Southeast University, Mr. Shafiqul Islam, Head of Programs, Vital Strategies- Bangladesh , Dr. Syed Mahfuzul Huq, National Professional Officer, WHO Bangladesh Office, Professor ATM Nurul Amin, Chairperson, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, BRAC University, Mr. Aminul Islam Sujon, Program Officer, NTCC and Dr. Nawzia Yasmin, Head, Department of Public Health, State University of Bangladesh, and President, Bangladesh Tobacco Control Research Network attended the scientific sessions of the conference as panelists.
 
The major research projects presented in the conference included: 1) Shifting of Marketing Paradigm of Tobacco Industry in Bangladesh: Challenges to the Tobacco Control Policy, 2) Enforcement of Tobacco Control Law Regarding Smoke-Free Public Place and Public Transport: A case of Bangladesh Railways Jurisdiction, 3) Ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship in Bangladesh: Investigating Compliance Level and Implementation Challenges, 4) Smoke-free Housing Policy for Multi-Unit Housing Complexes: Evidence from Divisional Cities of Bangladesh, 5) Tobacco Industry Branding Strategies and Its Influence on Young Adults, and 6) Tobacco Related Content on New Media and its Exposure among University Students in Bangladesh.