News

Request for Applications: Bangladesh Tobacco Control Policy Research Grant Program 2021

Request for Applications :

Bangladesh Tobacco Control Policy Research Grant Program 2021

Click Here for Download PDF Format

 

  1. Background:
Bangladesh bears a high burden of tobacco-caused illnesses and it is also a tobacco producing country. Historically, tobacco control policy research has not been a popular topic within the academic community in Bangladesh. Therefore, data is needed to develop and strengthen tobacco control policy interventions in Bangladesh. The overall objective of the research grant program is to increase research capacity of students and researchers and to generate local evidence to support effective tobacco control policy measures in the country, and thus prevent tobacco induced diseases and death.
 
The Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) and Bangladesh Tobacco Control Research Network (BTCRN) in collaboration with the Institute for Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA and other stakeholders are putting emphasis on increasing research capacity and generating local evidence for effective tobacco control policies.  The Research Grant Program is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and was initiated in 2013 with 10 research grants; to date, 96 grants have been awarded though seven grant cycles. Postgraduate students and experienced researchers aspiring to contribute to tobacco control policy research in Bangladesh are eligible to apply for a research grant.
  1. Focus Research Areas for 2021:

Proposals on the research topics below are requested for the 2021 Tobacco Control Policy Research Grant Program. 

  1. Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies:
  • Violation of FCTC Article 5.3
  • E-cigarette and other emerging tobacco products (trend analysis, marketing technique, etc.)
  • Mapping of SLT and bidi manufacturers in Bangladesh
  • Tobacco and COVID 19
  1. Protect people from tobacco smoke:
  • Ban selling of single stick and unpackaged smokeless tobacco  
  • Protect children from Secondhand Smoking at home and public places.
  • Loopholes and implementation challenges of Tobacco Control Law  
  1. Offer help to quit tobacco:
  • Quitting tobacco use (Quit line, virtual assistance, offering incentives to employees)
  1. Warn about the dangers of tobacco:
  • Standardized tobacco packaging for bidi and SLT products
  • Plain packaging for all tobacco products
  • Compliance with the existing packaging and labeling law and/or with the FCTC best practices
  1. Enforce ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship:
  • Direct and indirect tobacco advertisement, promotions, and sponsorship (TAPS) at points of sale
  • Compliance with the existing TAPS law and barriers in implementation
  1. Raise taxes on tobacco:
  • Illicit trade
  • Tobacco tax policy structure in Bangladesh
  • Tax models for bidi and smokeless tobacco (SLT) products
  1. Timeline for proposal submission:

No later than 4.30 p.m. on February 28, 2021 (Bangladesh Time)

  1. Instructions for proposal development:
The research topic must be within the above-mentioned themes/areas. Proposals on generating local evidence that would contribute to developing a new policy or strengthen an existing one in line with the components of World Health Organization’s MPOWER package (http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/en/) are recommended.
 
Interested applicants are requested to submit their proposals following the guidelines available at  https://bit.ly/39Xs2X8 In the case of student applicants, proof of current university enrollment must also be submitted. Three hard copies and a soft copy of the proposal in a CD should be submitted to the following address. Please mark the category “Student” or “Researcher” on top of the envelope.

In the cover letter of the proposal, the applicant is requested to include a declaration as provided below:

“As a Principal Investigator of the research proposal, I declare that neither I nor any staff members proposed in the proposal is a recipient of financial support from any tobacco product manufacturer or the parent, subsidiary or affiliate of a tobacco product manufacturer including PMI IMPACT and Foundation for a Smoke-free World”.
 
For queries and clarifications, please contact us through email at btcrg@bangldesh-ccp.org by February 18, 2021.
 
BCCP Tobacco Control Research Grant Program
House # 08, Road # 03, Block - A
Section - 11, Mirpur, Dhaka - 1216, Bangladesh
  1. Eligibility of the applicants:

The program accepts proposal from any individual researchers. Any proposal to be submitted by any organization will not be accepted.

Student Category:

  • The student must be enrolled in a postgraduate program at any recognized university or institution in Bangladesh.
  • Applicant should be available in the country throughout the research period.

Researcher Category:

  • Researchers having a Masters, M.Phil, or Ph.D. degree and affiliated with any university, institution or organization in Bangladesh.
  • The applicant must submit a “No Objection Letter” from the applicant’s respective organization to carry out the research before it is finally selected.
  • Researchers must be available in the country throughout the research period.
  • Applicants must have at least 3 years of research experience and have demonstrated their ability to conduct a research study independently:
    • Applicants must have at least one research publication as a first author.
    • A list of research studies mentioning the roles of the applicants must be submitted on a separate page.
  1. Selection Process:
  • Proposals will be short-listed according to the priorities listed above and based on the quality and rigor of the application.
  • Short listed proposals will be reviewed by a panel of researchers and program/policy advisors to identify applicants who will be invited to make presentations in front of a review panel.
  • Based on their merit, proposals will be selected for funding.
  • Each selected proposal will receive a grant for a nine-month research project. The grant value for the Student category is US$ 5000 and for the Researcher category is US$ 10,000. 
  • The program will commence in March 2021.
  • Each applicant is eligible to submit one proposal.
  1. Document to be submitted:

Three (3) hard copies of the proposal along with the following documents and their soft copy on a CD must be submitted:

  • Each applicant should submit a consent letter from his/her Supervisor/Mentor confirming the following:
    • The Supervisor/Mentor will oversee all components of the research activity.
    • Be available to attend research project related meeting(s) as and when required.
    • Ensure the quality of the research including research report.
    • Mention that s/he is providing a consent letter for not more than one applicant for the 2021 Research Grant Program.
  • Each applicant must submit signed updated short CVs of the key research team members.
  • Student applicant must submit a proof of enrollment with the proposal. 
  • Researcher category must submit the following:
    • A list of research studies mentioning the roles of the applicants must be submitted on a separate page.
    • Evidence to prove research publication must be submitted with the application.
  1. Content of the proposal:
  1. Cover page (Title of the study, name of the applicant, organization and contact details)
  2. Proposal abstract (maximum 300 words)
  3. Coverage of geographical/study area in details
  4. Background and problem statement: provide a clear and simple description of research problem/gap (maximum 700 words)
  5. Rationale/justification of the research (maximum 300 words)
  6. Research question/hypotheses (if any) and objectives (overall and specific objectives) of the research (maximum 200 words)
  7. Methodology including study design, study type, study population, sampling design, data collection method and instrument, and concrete analysis plan (maximum 1000 words) 
  8. Implications of the proposed research for tobacco control policy in Bangladesh (maximum 500 words)
  9. Proposed personnel plan (maximum 500 words)
  10. Work plan
  11. Budget

Suggested Budget Preparation Guideline: 

  1. Personnel Cost (Salary for proposed staff members including Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, Data Analyst, Data Entry Operator, etc.)- maximum 40% of total cost.
  2. Field Activity Cost (Allowance for Data Collectors, cost for Enumerators’ training, local data collection costs, etc.)- maximum 30% of total cost.
  3. Travel and Transportation Cost (Inter district travel costs by Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator, and other travel costs not related to data collection)- maximum 10% of total cost.
  4. Professional Service (Honorarium for Supervisor/Mentor and fees for Ethical Clearance)- maximum 10% of total cost.
  5. General Operating Cost (any other costs related to the research work) - maximum 10% of total cost.
  1. Signed updated short CVs of key personnel (Applicant, Supervisor/Mentor, Co-investigator) involved in the research (not more than 5 pages each).
  1. Proposal review process:

The research proposal will be assessed based on the following criteria:

  1. Relevance to the priorities of the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use.
  2. Uniqueness of the study’s contribution to the evidence base that supports the resolution of current tobacco control priority issues in Bangladesh.
  3. Quality and feasibility
  4. Suitability of approach, design, methods and/or analysis
  5. Policy implications and scope for further research

BCCP will not compensate applicants for preparation of proposals against this grant announcement. This announcement does not make any commitment to award a grant to anyone. BCCP reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal without giving any explanation. Research work may be terminated at any time if research quality and the timeline of research are not maintained.

  1. Reading documents:
  1. Global Adult Tobacco Survey- Bangladesh 2017

(http://bbs.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bbs.portal.gov.bd/page/57def76a_aa3c_46e3_9f80_53732eb94a83/GATS_BAN_2017_Fact%20Sheet.pdf)

  1. WHO report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, Bangladesh, 2017 (http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/policy/country_profile/bgd.pdf?ua=)
  2. Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act 2005

(https://ntcc.gov.bd/uploads/editor/files/1_tobacco_control_law_2005_with_amendment_2013.pdf)

  1. Amendment of Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005

(https://ntcc.gov.bd/uploads/editor/files/2_bangladesh_tobacco_control_act_amended_2013(1).pdf )

  1. World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (https://www.who.int/fctc/en/)
  2. World Health Organization’s MPOWER package (http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/en/)
  3. Global Tobacco Control: Learning from the Experts (http://globaltobaccocontrol.org/online_training)
  4. Learning from the Experts: A Course for Healthcare Professionals (http://hp.globaltobaccocontrol.org/online_training)  
  5. National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC):

(www.ntcc.gov.bd)  

  1. Bangladesh Tobacco Control Research Network

(www.btcrn.org)

  1. List of the Studies Conducted during 2013-2020:  

Conducted in 2013

  1.  

Pattern and Awareness about Smokeless Tobacco in a Rural Area

  1.  

Trade-off between the Informal Economy of Tobacco and Tobacco Control Policy in Bangladesh

  1.  

Form and Effect of Indirect Advertisement and Promotion Activities of Tobacco Products in Khulna

  1.  

Tobacco use among Rickshaw Pullers of Dhaka City: Behavior, Awareness and Prevention

  1.  

Tobacco Smoking among the Adult Student: A KAP Study in Dhaka City

  1.  

Secondhand Tobacco Smoke and Respiratory Problems among the Infants of Smoker and Non-smoker Parents

  1.  

Study on Health Hazards among the Tobacco Curing Workers of Bangladesh

  1.  

The Practice and Consequences of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by Tobacco Companies in Bangladesh

  1.  

Effect of Raising Taxes on Tobacco Consumption

  1.  

Prevalence of Smoking among Physicians of Bangladesh

Conducted in 2014

  1.  

Smoking Behavior among Undergraduate Students Living at Hostel and their Homes in Dhaka City

  1.  

Relationship between Oral Diseases and Tobacco Chewing among Slum Dwellers in Dhaka City

  1.  

E- Cigarette: A Study of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Private University Students in Dhaka City

  1.  

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Youths towards the Use and Control of Tobacco: A Survey among University Students 

  1.  

Perception of Smoking-Related Risks and Benefits among Selected Urban and Rural Adolescent Students

  1.  

Realizing the Ways to Keep Teenagers Smoke-Free

  1. F

Prevalence and Awareness of Secondhand and Third-Hand Smoke Exposure among Medical and Dental Students

  1.  

Expenditure and Knowledge about Tobacco use among the Rickshaw Pullers in Dhaka City

  1.  

Changing Marketing Paradigm of Tobacco Industry in the Regulated Environment in Bangladesh: Lessons and Challenges for Tobacco Control Policy Advocates

  1.  

Tobacco Consumption through Flavored Shisha among University Students in Dhaka City of Bangladesh

  1.  

Use of Smokeless Tobacco by Low Socio-Economic Populations and Risk Factors Associated with It

  1.  

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Tobacco Users among Garment Workers in Dhaka City in Bangladesh

  1.  

Magnitude of Cross Border Tobacco Trade and its Implications on the National Tobacco Control Program of Bangladesh

  1.  

Disability and Economic Burden of Tobacco Related Illness: Experience from Rural Bangladesh

  1.  

Smoking among Medical Interns and Their Perceptions towards Training about Tobacco Smoking in the Medical Curriculum

  1.  

Dynamics of Smoking Behavior among Urban Adolescents and Young Adults of Bangladesh: Peer Effect and Family Influences 

  1.  

Prevalence of Tobacco Sales and Advertisement within 100 Yards of Schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh

  1.  

Perception about Health Effects of Passive Smoking among Young Adults in Dhaka

  1.  

Tobacco Growers and Incentives from Tobacco Companies in Selected Districts of Bangladesh

  1.  

The Tobacco Consumption Practice of Female Day Laborer at Brick Kilns in Dhaka 

Conducted in 2015

  1.  

Heavy Metal (Cr, Cd and Pb) Contents in Chewing and Other Categories of Tobaccos used in Bangladesh and their Effect on Health

  1.  

Second-hand Smoke (SHS) in Public Place: Awareness, Attitudes and Exposure among University Students

  1.  

Smokeless Tobacco Consumption and Diabetic Foot Ulcer

  1.  

Factors Associated with Female Smoking at Selected Areas in Dhaka City

 

  1.  

Prevalence of Social Feedback against Smoking Incidences and their Immediate Impact on Smoking Behavior

  1.  

Smokeless Tobacco Use Among Floating Youths and Young Adults in Dhaka City

  1.  

The Prevalence of Tobacco Consumption and Associated Risk Factors among University Students in Sylhet District: A Cross-Sectional Study

  1.  

Effectiveness of Tobacco Warning Labels on Cigarette Packages to Reduce Smoking: A Survey Study in Dhaka City

  1.  

Pattern of Second-hand Smoke (SHS) at Home and Determinants of Exposure to SHS among Children Aged ≤18 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study

  1.  

Emotional, Behavioral Problems and Cigarette Smoking Behavior: A survey among Bangladeshi Adolescent

  1.  

Why Farmers are Turning into Tobacco Growers in Bangladesh?

  1.  

Effects of Maternal Smokeless Tobacco Use on Gestational Age, and Birth Weight: A Case Control Study in Rural Dhaka, Bangladesh

  1.  

Level of Compliance of Tobacco Control Act 2005 in Terms of ‘Anti- tobacco’ Signage Display at Public Place in Bangladesh

  1.  

Practice of Tobacco Control Law in Major Public Places: A Survey in Dhaka City

  1.  

Patterns of E-cigarette Use and User Knowledge about the Safety and Benefits of E-cigarette Smoking

  1.  

Awareness of Smoking Related Health Risks and Knowledge and Attitude Regarding National Tobacco Control Law among Bangladesh Police

  1.  

Smoking among the Employees and Barriers to Smoke free Hospital Initiative in a Public Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh

  1.  

Warning People about Dangers of Tobacco Use: The Role of Mass Media.

  1.  

A Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Tobacco Consumption among Adults attending OPD of Public Hospitals with a View to Develop an Information Booklet

  1.  

Child Labor in Bidi Factories: Current Situation and Way Forward

Conducted in 2016

  1.  

Socio-Economic Impact of Tobacco Cultivation in Bangladesh: A Study in Kushtia District

  1.  

Prevailing social obstacles in keeping tobacco free homes in urban areas: Realizing ways to overcome

  1.  

Insight of Plain Packaging among the Adults General Population in Dhaka City

 

  1.  

Status of Graphic Health Warning on Tobacco Packs: A Study among Low Socio-economic Group in Bangladesh

  1.  

Relationship between Selling Tobacco Products by Children and their Attitude and Practice Regarding Tobacco Intake

  1.  

Impact of Taxation on the Consumption of Cigarette: A Study on Smoking Behavior among the Undergraduate Students

  1.  

Price Elasticity, Social Norms, Tobacco Control Policies and Smoking Behavior among Students in the South-west Region of Bangladesh

  1.  

Mapping Land Use Land Cover Changes Due to Tobacco Cultivation in Bangladesh with its Public Health Impacts

  1.  

Health and Environmental Impacts of Tobacco Farming in Selected Districts of Bangladesh

  1.  

Marketing Strategy of E-cigarettes in Bangladesh

Conducted in 2017

  1.  

Cigarette Selling to and by the Minors in Bangladesh: Policy Gaps and Implementation Challenges

  1.  

Influence of Social Media and Peer Group on Smoking among Selected Public & Private University Students in Urban Dhaka

  1.  

Factors Influencing Tradition of Smokeless Tobacco Use in Rural Communities of Bangladesh

  1.  

Business of Loose Cigarettes and Losing of Tobacco Control: Current Situation in Urban Areas of Bangladesh

  1.  

Smoking Behavior among TB Relapse Cases at Tertiary Level Hospitals in Dhaka City of Bangladesh

  1.  

The Relationship between Tobacco Consumption Habits and Road Traffic Accidents: A Study among the Heavy Vehicle Drivers in Bangladesh

  1.  

Implementing Tobacco Control Law in Bangladesh: Challenges and Way Forward

  1.  

Effectiveness of anti-tobacco activities in public and private university’s students of Bangladesh

  1.  

Exploring Institutional Mechanisms for Economically Sustainable Alternatives for Tobacco Farmers

  1.  

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Secondhand Smoke Exposure at Home in the Context of Mother-child Pairs in Bangladesh

Conducted in 2018

  1.  

Impactful Advocacy Strategies for Tobacco Consumption Prevention in the Char Regions of Northern Bangladesh

  1.  

Compliance Level of Tobacco Control Law in Public Transportation

 

  1.  

Toxicants Release from Different Tobacco Products: Alarming for Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards in Bangladesh

  1.  

Relationship between Income Elasticity and Tobacco Product Use in Bangladesh

  1.  

Compliance with Tobacco Control Law in Uttara Model Town: A Way Forward to a Smoke-free City

  1.  

Adoption of Tobacco Retail License in Bangladesh: Exploring Possible Outcomes and Implementation Challenges

  1.  

Graphic Health Warnings on Cigarette Packs: Exploration of its Effectiveness in Deterring the Youth of Bangladesh

  1.  

Health Hazards among Women Involved in Tobacco Curing in Selected Rural Areas of Bangladesh

  1.  

Barriers to Implementing the Tobacco Control Law in Bangladesh

Conducted in 2019

  1.  

Ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship in Bangladesh: Investigating Compliance Level and Implementation Challenges

 

  1.  

Tobacco Industry Branding Strategies and Its Influence on Young Adults

 

  1.  

Tobacco Related Content on New Media and its Exposure

among University Students in Bangladesh

 

  1.  

Enforcement of tobacco control law regarding smoke free public place and public transport: A case of Bangladesh Railways (BR) jurisdiction

 

  1.  

Implementation Status of Article 5.3 of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to Curb Tobacco Industry Interference in Bangladesh

 

  1.  

Mapping of Density of Points of Sale, Selling and Consumption Pattern of Tobacco Products Around Schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

  1.  

Influence of Tobacco Control related Facebook Messages: Status and Way Forward

 

  1.  

Smoke-free housing policy for multiunit housing complexes: evidence from divisional cities of Bangladesh

 

  1.  

Shifting of Marketing Paradigm of Tobacco Industry in Bangladesh: Challenges to the Tobacco Control Policy

Conducted in 2020

  1.  

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Tobacco Control Laws among Tobacco Sellers of Dhaka City Corporation

  1.  

Smoking Zone Facilities in Restaurants and Attitudes and Experiences on Tobacco smoke among Adults in Dhaka City

  1.  

Demystifying Tobacco Industry Interferences to Undermine Graphic Health Warning Implementation in Bangladesh

  1.  

Situational Analysis of E-Cigarette usage in Bangladesh

  1.  

Compliance with Smoke-Free Legislation in Public Places and Smoking Behaviour: An Observational Study in Sylhet City, Bangladesh

  1.  

Investigating Policy Gap Related to Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) Ban in Bangladesh

  1.  

Implication of Unadopted Measures on Reducing Cigarette Smoking: A Study from Corporate Employees’ Perspectives

  1.  

Failure of Professional Male Drivers to Comply with Smoke Free Policy is Associated with Nicotine Dependence and Motives for Smoking