To combat the challenges of this century, there is no alternative to using effective communication. When appropriate and effective communication process is followed to achieve a specific goal, there is more possibility of success in that activity. Therefore, the importance of strategic communication is immense. BCCP has been working in different social development sectors to bring a positive change through the strategic communication process. The programs of BCCP that has been remarked in the current issue of Sangjog testify this.

 

The contents of Sangjog may appear short, but its depth, thoughts, and ideas are extensive. Our aim is to share these thoughts and ideas to the readers of Sangjog. Because, we strongly believe that this is important to engage community in assuming their role in changing the society.

The World Youth Skills Development Day (WYSD)-2019 was observed in Dhaka on July 15, 2019. The National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) arranged a road-show and a discussion marking the day.

Bangladesh Center for Communication Program (BCCP), as a consultancy firm organized the event making the observation of the day attractive, motivational and effective. A road show was organized, starting from Aarang point at Asadgate at 8:40 am and ended at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC). Later, a discussion meeting was organized at the BICC at 10:00 am.

 

The road-show was arranged in a very colorful manner. Dr. Dipu Moni, Honourable Minister for Education led the road-show. A stage was installed at the starting point and portraits along with quotes of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina where set on both sides of the stage. A portrait of Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni was also set there.

 

Over a thousand of participants from NSDA and various organizations like Dhaka Polytechnical Institute, Fazilatunnesa Mujib Polytechnical Institute, training institutes, 11 Industry Skills Councils (ISCs), SEIP, participated at the Road-Show. They were bearing big banners with the slogan of the day ‘Learning to Learn for Life and Work.

A highly decorated horse-cart was in front of the Road-Show while a band party performed music for making the event delightful.

A discussion was organized at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

 

Dr. Dipu Moni graced the occasion as the chief guest. Imran Ahmed, Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment spoke at the program as the special guest. Sajjad Hassan, Secretary, Prime Minister's Office (PMO), presided over the discussion. Md. Faruque Hossain, Executive Chairman, the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) delivered the welcoming speech at the discussion.

 

The program was concluded with a colorful ghamvira.

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) entered into an agreement for a period from May 12, 2019- January 15, 2020. The purpose of this assignment is to provide training management of both events in relation to Orientation on Establishment and Operations of Model Pharmacy in Bangladesh for A grade pharmacists and Training on Establishment and Operations of Model Medicine Shop in Bangladesh for C grade pharmacists under the Better Health in Bangladesh project at 11 different districts. This includes planning and management activities with Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh (PCB), Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) trainers, trainees, training venues, foods, training aids etc. in the selected piloting areas of Bangladesh. Around 5500 A and C grade pharmacists will be trained from the training of different 11 districts during the project period. 

 

In this period, BCCP successfully organized and managed 4batches 5day orientation on Establishment and Operations of Model Pharmacy in Bangladesh at Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh (PCB) conference room. A total of 118 A-grade pharmacists attended the orientation. Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan, Director and CEO, BCCP, Mr. Mosaddek Hossen, Vice present, PCB and Mr. Md. Nuruzzaman, Technical Advisor -Regulation & Accreditation, BHB project, MSH, were present in the inaugural session in the first batch of the A-grade Orientation.

 

The closing sessions of all the orientations were held on DGDA conference room at Mohakhali. Major General Md Mahbubur Rahman, Director General, DGDA was present in the closing session of all batches and awarded certificate among the participants. Md. Iftakhar Khan, Acting Project Director, BHB project, MSH Mr. Muhammad Mahbubul Haque, Secretary, PCB, Ruhul Amin, Director, DGDA, Md. Nuruzzaman Khan, Technical Advisor, BHB project, MSH and Mr. Badal Krishna Halder, Team Leader BCCP-MSH project were present in closing event. 

On the other hand 6 days training on Establishment and Operations of Model Medicine Shop in Bangladesh for C grade pharmacists have been simultaneous conducted at different venue of different districts which were Dhaka, Narsingdi, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Moulvi Bazar, Chandpur, Natore, Mymensingh, Khulna, and Chattogram. 

 

A total of 2071 participants attended in training of different 10 districts in 51 batches. 

Mohammad Shahjahan, Director and CEO, BCCP, Mr. Muhammad Mahbubul Haque, Secretary, PCB were present in the inaugural session of 1st batches at Dhaka and delivered their speech. President/secretary of BCDS and drug supper, DGDA of concern district were present in the inaugural session of all the districts.

SBCC Monitoring Apps will bring a difficult task becomes easier and has potentials to attain expected program impact - Dr. Ashrafunnesa, Line Director-IEM

 

As part of capacity and system strengthening, the Ujjiban CSS team has developed a monitoring apps to monitor SBCC activity being conducted under the HPN units. In order to get the unit level inputs on this apps before it goes for getting introduced in the pilot phase, an orientation workshop was held on August 07, 2019 in a local hotel with the officials represents IEM, CCSDP and MIS units of DGFP and BHE, IPHN, MIS, TBL, CBHC of DGHS. A total of 21 participants from these units were get oriented and provided their feedback through a group work session. 

 

In her speech the Line Director-IEM, after she observed the overview session, termed this initiative as easing the difficult task of monitoring SBCC activities and attaining an expected program impact. She also thanked Ujjiban for their continuous support and bringing out of innovative approaches for SBCC capacity and system strengthening of the HPN Units of MoHFW.

 

Unit officials took part in the group work after they are formally oriented about this apps and exercised to gone through the monitoring apps with all enthusiasm and interest. This group work went round in 4 groups divided with homogeneity of their respective work place. The group work came out with few recommendations to further fine tuning of the monitoring apps considering its usability at the field level.

Under “Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAPPP)” financed by World Bank, the Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) is working to enhance capacity for implementation monitoring of development programs. 

 

Bangladesh Centre for Communication Programs (BCCP) has been carrying out the Strategic and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) component of DIMAPPP since June 19, 2018. As part of the ongoing effort, BCCP is facilitating CPTU in organizing workshops of the Government-Tenders’ Forums (GTFs). 

 

During July-September 2019 period, two GTF workshops were held in Barishal and Khulna. During the workshops, experts, policy high-ups as well as tenderers and representatives from procuring entities underscored the need for institutionalizing GTF through establishing Bangladesh Government-Tenderers’ Forum (BGTF) at the central level in Dhaka.

 

The workshop in Barishal was held at Conference Room of the Circuit House on July 29, 2019, and that in Khulna was organized at Conference Room of the Circuit House on September 15, 2019.

 

The objective of the workshops was to share the present status of GTF at districts; and to gather ideas/suggestions and recommendations to sustain and institutionalize the GTF. 

 

At GTF in Barishal, a total of 70 participants attended the workshop. Out of the 37 were from Procuring Entities, 23 from Tenderers and 10 from Media. At GTF in Khulna, a total of 72 participants attended the workshop. Out of the 42 were from Procuring Entities, 18 from Tenderers and 12 from Media.

 

Mr. Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah, ndc, Secretary, Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IME Division), Planning Ministry graced the occasion as the chief guest. Mr. Mosta Gausul Hoque, Principal Project Management Consultant, DIMAPPP delivered the welcome address.

As part of Ujjiban’s capacity and system strengthening for the HPN fields under the MoHFW, an SBCC monitoring apps was developed to effectively implement, monitor and documentation of the SBCC activities. Following with the experience of introducing a manual SBCC monitoring checklist in some selected upazila as test run, effort was taken to transform this checklist in a digitize version after appropriately consider findings of the manual version. 

 

This digitized version was reviewed tuned up by the program desk officials of the HPN units in a formal workshop before it went for piloting in 6 upazilas under Sylhet and Chittogong divisions. The selected upazilas are; Habiganj sadar, Madhabpur, Noakhali sadar, Begumganj, Patiya and Hathazari upazilas. The pilot program includes; orientation of the Health Inspector (HI), Assistant Health Inspector (AHI) and Family Planning Inspector (FPI) as first line supervisors becomes the primary target audience for the apps while their Upazila and district level officials also brought in these orientations as secondary target audience. In the first leg; orientation for Habiganj sadar, Madhabpur, Noakhali sadar and Begumganj upazilas were held on September 02-05, 2019 in the respective upazila headquarters. 

 

The orientation program includes 3 basic components as, a) an introduction with the objective of the monitoring apps b) features and navigator options; and c) introducing the user guide of this apps. Both online and offline version of this monitoring apps were made available with the participants smart phones while the offline version was provided in the SD card to get it used in their memory card slot of the smartphone. The SD card also includes with the eToolkit to making it available in the participants smartphone in addition to the monitoring apps.

Mentoring Workshop on Data Management, Analysis and Report Writing was held in Dhaka during September 24-25, 2019. The research grantees and their Data Analysts attended the workshop.      

 

The two-day workshop discussed about data management, analysis and report writing. In the workshop, the grantees learned how to process, clean, check, manage, analyze, and present their collected data/information. How to write the research report, present and disseminate the research findings, and write a manuscript for journal publication were also discussed in the workshop. BCCP research team made several PowerPoint presentations and facilitated the discussions on the topics. The grantees, especially the senior grantees contributed a lot to the discussion process. Several hands-on exercises on data management and analysis were also done in the workshop.

 

After the workshop, the participants expressed their satisfaction on the contents and facilitations of the workshop. Eighteen participants attended the workshop.