PHA-Exchange> Symbolic Funeral Procession Held

[wbb]

Symbolic Funeral Procession Held


The Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) recently held a symbolic
funeral march in honor of the millions of people around the world who
have died from tobacco, and to demand strong tobacco control law to
reduce these unnecessary deaths in future.

Over 300 people from 23 different organizations marched in the symbolic
funeral through the
streets of Dhaka on April 16.  Most wore the traditional mourning color
of white, and pinned black labels to their clothes, creating a strong
visual effect enhanced by the bearing of the coffins.

Individuals addressing the rally mourned loved ones who have died from
tobacco, and demanded laws stopping tobacco advertisements, placing
stronger warnings on tobacco packets, and making public places
smoke-free.  Speakers pointed out that tobacco harms not only individual
health, but also personal and national economy, and the environment.
Tobacco kills not only directly, said the speakers, but also through
passive smoking—the breathing of the thousands of dangerous chemicals in
tobacco smoke by others.  Spending on tobacco also takes money away from
basic needs such as food, thereby contributing to the malnutrition of
over ten million children each year in Bangladesh.  The tobacco epidemic
can only be reduced if
the Government of Bangladesh enacts strong laws, emphasized the
speakers.

The procession received tremendous media coverage.  All four Bangladeshi
TV stations covered the event in the evening news.  The event was also
covered by 30 of the nation’s newspapers, including some front page
coverage.  To view pictures of the event, please go to the BATA website
(http://bata.globalink.org) under BATA in the News.

We encourage other organizations to conduct a similar activity,
emphasizing that while we mourn those who have died from tobacco, we
also demand a solution to reduce the deaths:  strong tobacco control law
and a strong FCTC!  If anyone would like more information on the event,
or details on planning, please feel free to contact us.

--Syed Mahbubul Alam, WBB (BATA Secretariat)



--
Work for a Better Bangladesh
House-49 Road-4/A
Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh
Ph- 880-2-9669781 Fax-880-2-8629271
E-mail-wbb at pradeshta.net
website: http://wbb.globalink.org