PROGGA has been doing media advocacy and policy advocacy in the area of public health since its inception and contributed to amending national tobacco control law in 2013, finalizing tobacco control Rules in 2015, formulating and finalizing health development surcharge policy in 2017, formulating and finalizing trans-fat control regulation in 2021, and increasing tobacco prices and taxes. It has a pool of experienced professionals on advocacy programs and is ready to provide necessary support in terms of organizing advocacy programs, preparing advocacy materials like video documentation, research-based articles, publishing regular newsletters, and project promotional materials. PROGGA regularly trains and sensitizes media personnel to mobilize effective earned media advocacy on public health issues. It works as the secretariat of Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), a network of about 450 journalists working across the country.
Projects/Assignments
 
|
| Sponsor |
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) |
| Project Timeline |
November 2009-Ongoing |
| Description |
The overall purpose of the current project is to support law amendment, stronger tobacco prices and tax measures through engagement with media and influencers to call attention to the tobacco industry's tactics in Bangladesh. |
| Achievements |
PROGGA pioneered the tobacco control journalism award and tobacco control journalism fellowship to strengthen advocacy with media for tobacco control. During the initial phases of the project, state-owned body, Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) accompanied PROGGA. |
 |
| Sponsor |
Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI),USA |
| Project Timeline |
October 2019â Ongoing |
| Description |
The overall purpose of the ongoing initiative is to build support for the adoption and implementation of TFA regulations and to create a favorable environment for prioritizing hypertension treatment/control through sustained traditional media and social media coverage in Bangladesh. |
| Achievements |
With support of the project, on November 29, 2021, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) set a strict new trans-fat limit (scheduled to take effect on December 31, 2022) - which stipulate that trans-fat content in fats, oils and foods must not exceed 2% of total fat, making Bangladesh is one of the 40 countries that have adopted trans-fat regulation measures in line with WHO recommendations. |
| Sponsor |
In collaboration with National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh under a contract with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). |
| Project Timeline |
April 2021 - October 2021. |
| Achievements |
Under the assignment, PROGGA developed a communication and advocacy strategy; prepared communication materials and social media contents; held tri-patriate meetings with the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP); and engaged private sectors including edible oil producers, packagers, and restaurant owners through roundtables. |
| Sponsor |
from Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) |
| Project Timeline |
2018-Ongoing |
| Description |
To assess how the Government of Bangladesh is implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 Guidelines based on the publicly available incidents during the particular year. The findings of the Bangladesh report are included in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index. |
| Achievements |
The latest 2021 index has put forth recommendations for amending tobacco control law to make it more compliant with FCTC, by including a comprehensive ban on tobacco companies' CSR activities, among other issues. It has also made recommendations for the elimination of cigarettes from the list of essential commodities by amending the 1956 Essential Commodities Act, formulation and implementation of a simple tobacco price and tax policy, divestment of the government's share in tobacco companies, finalization of a code-of-conduct for relevant govt. officials in case of interaction with tobacco companies and their representatives, and withdrawal of all incentives provided to tobacco companies along with a ban on investments in tobacco business. The tobacco companies should also be declared ineligible for any government recognition and awards, the study recommends. |
   |
| Sponsor |
Concern Universal and Concern Worldwide (on behalf of NARRI Consortium Member-National Initiative for Risk Reduction and Response Initiative |
| Project Timeline |
February 2012 |
| Description |
Aired at reviewing and upgrading the existing DRR media toolkit, organizes orientation for selected media personnel on the toolkit through workshops and field visits.
|
| Sponsor |
CTFK |
| Project Timeline |
2009 |
| Description |
PROGGA undertook a wide array of activities around the official release of Bangladesh country report of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009 in December. While the official release of the survey was a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of Bangladesh and the World Health Organization (WHO), PROGGA's initiative was focused on wider communication of the GATS finding through the media and utilization of the GATS data by the tobacco control NGOs. |
| Achievements |
The package of activities, supported by, included a TV talk show 'Road to Democracy' on RTV, a special report on prime-time news of Desh TV and a Training Workshop for selected tobacco control organizations on Effective Utilization of GATS Data for Tobacco Control Advocacy in Bangladesh
|
| Sponsor |
Self-funded |
| Project Timeline |
2009 |
| Description |
This was a core self-funded program of PROGGA. The program organized a movement for citizens' monitoring of the election manifesto promises. The main output of the project was a yearly Citizens' Report on the status of implementation of election manifesto based on opinions of the people living all over the country. The Citizens' Report 2009 was formally released in June 2009. |
| Sponsor |
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) |
| Project Timeline |
2012 - 2017 |
| Description |
The objective of the fellowship program was to intensify the existing tobacco control advocacies (e.g., law amendment and tobacco taxation) by unveiling tobacco company's interferences against tobacco control movement in Bangladesh. |
| Achievements |
Under the program, PROGGA provided fellowship on investigative journalism for 20 journalists between 2012 and 2017. |
