National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh

United Forum Against Tobacco (UFAT), Bangladesh Lung Foundation and Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation jointly organized a Voices Of Tobacco Victims (VOTV) meeting on 6 June 2015 at Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation Campus to observe World No Tobacco Day 2015. National Professor Brig (Retd) Abdul Malik, Founder and President, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh grace the occasion as Chief Guest and Justice Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Ex-Chief Election Commissioner, Bangladesh and Chairman, Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation chaired the meeting. Professor Dr ASQ Sadique, Member Secretary, Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation welcomed the participants of the meeting. Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury, Program Manager, anti tobacco program, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, Dr AFM Kamal Uddin, Oncologist, Dr Md Khalequzzaman, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health & Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shahbagh, Dhaka and Dr Kazi Shaifuddin Bennoor, Member, Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation were also present and spoke in the meeting. Dr AFM Kamal Uddin, Oncologist in his speech told how cancers develop in the body and how tobacco use causes cancer. He introduced two patients with cancer (oral cancer & lung cancer) caused by long time tobacco use. Patients told there pain and suffering due to cancer. The meeting was organized in the premises of Diganta Memorial Foundation and about 120 participants form the local community attended the meeting. Justice Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Chairman, Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation in his speech assured that he would take initiative for Voices Of Tobacco Victims (VOTV) programs in electronic media to increase awareness among the people.

United Forum Against Tobacco (UFAT), Bangladesh Cancer Foundation and Bangladesh Cancer Foundation Hospital and Welfare Home jointly organized a Voices Of Tobacco Victims (VOTV) meeting on 9 June 2015 at Bangladesh Cancer Foundation Hospital and Welfare Home Campus as a part of observance of World No Tobacco Day 2015. Mr Hasanul Hoque Inu, MP, Minister, Ministry of Information, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, grace the occasion as Chief Guest. National Professor Brig (Retd) Abdul Malik, Founder and President, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, Professor Md Kamrul Hasan Khan, VC Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Professor Deen Md Nurul Huq, DG, DGHS, Dr M Mostafa Zaman, Coordinator (NCD), WHO, Country Office for Bangladesh were present in the discussion meeting as Special Guest and Professor Mollah Obeydullah Baki, President, Bangladesh Cancer Society and Treasurer, United Forum Against Tobacco (UFAT) chaired the meeting. Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury, Program Manager, anti tobacco program, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, present the keynotes on “Tobacco use-Bangladesh perspectives”. Professor Dr Golum Mohiuddin Faruque, Oncologist in his speech told how cancers develop in the body and how tobacco use causes cancer. He introduced one patient with oral cancer caused by use of smokeless tobacco. Patient told her pain and sufferings due to cancer that caused by tobacco use. Mr Hasanul Haque Inu, in his speech mentioned that he will take initiative to stop telecasting of scenes of tobacco use in drama and movies and will request electronic and print media to increase awareness among the people. About 300 participants from different levels of society including health professionals, teachers and community dwellers attended in the meeting.