Pohela Boishak (First day of Bangla Year) is the biggest festival in Bangladesh; everyone celebrates this day by participating in various events. Millions of people participated in this festival.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) declared all festive areas smoke-free in Dhaka, including Ramna Park (the most popular national event in Batomul is held inside this park), Sohrawardi Udyan, TSC, Shahbag etc on 14th April 2014. Millions of people visited those events.

To protect non-smokers including children and women, DMP’s  declaration that events will be smoke-free is positive step in tobacco control. DMP shared information on smoke-free spaces throughout their promotional and informational process.

To raise awareness about DMP’s declaration on smoke-free Pohela Boishakh, the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA), Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, Pratysha Anti Drug’s Club published an hang-on digital banner for every festive event site. This colourful digital banner contains a written message and a no-smoking sign.

The activists also disseminated smoke stickers, leaflets, posters, banners and hang-on large banners at the event site. Anti-tobacco activists also ran a rally at Basabo and Dhaka Univeristy to create awareness on smoke-free spaces and tobacco control laws.

BATA, WBB Trust, Pratysha raise awareness on smoke-free environments the tobacco control law of 2006 states. From 2010, Dhaka Metrapolitan Police (DMP) took the lead in this initiative with BATA, WBB Trust and Pratysha to ensure smoke-free environments in all public places. DMP also recived BATA national award 2011 for their anti-tobacco initiatives.