Saifuddin Ahmed, coordinator of The Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA, Bangladesh Tamak Birodhi Jote) is awared for “Tobacco Control Award for Excellence and Leadership in SAARC Countries”. This award is handed-over in the ongoing (17th to 21st March 2015) 16th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) at Abu Dhabi yesterday evening during Luther J Terry award ceremony hosted by the American Cancer Society. Tobacco control award for the SAARC countries provided by Cancer Aid Society India. Saifuddin Ahmed is the only tobacco control leader among all SAARC countries for SAARC leadership and excellence.

However, he received many other prestigious awards/scholarships including ‘World No Tobacco Day Award 2006’ and BATA also received award ‘World No Tobacco Day Award 2001’ by World Health Organization (WHO). BATA also considered as model civil society movement against tobacco throughout the world and it is documented joint publication by the The World Bank and Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC). The story titiled “Building Momentum for Tobacco Control: The Case of Bangladesh” and book titled Tobacco Control Policy: Strategies, Successes & Setbacks.

Saifuddin Ahmed is involved couple of research on tobacco control perspective. His research articles and abstracts were published peer reviewed journal and various international conferences publication. One of most repued research on tobacco control, “Hungry for Tobacco: An analysis of the economic impact of tobacco consumption on the poor in Bangladesh” is published in ‘Tobacco Control’ in 2001; it is an international peer-reviewed journal for health professionals and others in tobacco control. To consider this research, World Health Organization (WHO) selected theme (tobacco and poverty: a vicious circle) for World No Tobacco Day 2004. His another joint research “Gainfully Employed? an inquiry into Bidi-dependent livelihood in Bangladesh” is published in ‘Tobacco Control’ in 2011.

Mr. Saifuddin Ahmed is representating civil society to the various conferences and events on global tobacco control since 1998. He attended 5 of Asia-Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health (APACT), held every 3 years from 2001 to 2013 (from 6th to 10th) and 5 of World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) held every 3 years from 2000 to 2012 (11th to 15th). He represented to the Inter-governmental Negotiating Body (INB) and Conference of the Party (COP) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, he also attended couple of World Health Assembly (WHA), World Lung Conference (WLC) and World Cancer Congress (WCC) with his presentations.

It needs to mention that, due to delay of visa process, Saifuddin Ahmed is not able to joint award reciving event at Abu Dhabi. On-be-half of Saifuddin Ahmed, Ms. Debra Efromson, the international advisor of BATA recived this award from Dr. John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society and Ms. Sally Cowal, Senior Vice President Global Program, American Cancer Society. Dr. Piyush Gupta, CEO and Neha Tripathi Director of Cancer Aid Society India were present.

Due to his professional carrer on last 18 years on global tobacco control, he travelled more than 40 countries including Australia, Brazil, Bhutan, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hongkong, Hangery, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laus, Kenia, Mayanmar, Maldwip, Malayeshia, Mexico, Nedarland, Norway, Philipine, South Africa, South Korea, SriLanka, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Uruguye, UAE, UK and USA.

Bio of Saifuddin Ahmed

Saifuddin Ahmed is Founder and Executive Director of the Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust since 1998. He is playing role as coordinator Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA) since it’s established in 1999 to successfully fight against BATs John Player Gold Leaf promotional campaign Voyage of Discovery.

BATA actively involved as civil society on developing process of the WHO FCTC and founding member of FCA. BATA also considered as model civil society movement against tobacco throughout the world and it is documented joint publication by The World Bank and Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC).

The story titled “Building Momentum for Tobacco Control: The Case of Bangladesh” and book titled Tobacco Control Policy: Strategies, Successes & Setbacks. BATA is strong civil society movement and has a network of over 700 local organizations throughout Bangladesh working together on tobacco control issue.

BATA was awarded on ‘World No Tobacco Day Award 2001’ by the WHO. As activist, Saifuddin Ahmed also received ‘World No Tobacco Day Award 2006’ by the WHO. BATA is celebrating it’s founding day (9 October) as National No Tobacco Day since 2011 declared by BATA coordinator in a 12th year anniversary program.

Saifuddin Ahmed is involved with many research and his research articles and abstracts is published peer reviewed journal and various international conference publication. He is co-author of reputed research, “Hungry for Tobacco: An analysis of the economic impact of tobacco consumption on the poor in Bangladesh” is published in ‘Tobacco Control’ in 2001. Based on this research, WHO selected theme (tobacco and poverty: a vicious circle) for World No Tobacco Day 2004.

He is also co-author of “Gainfully Employed?: an inquiry into Bidi-dependent livelihood in Bangladesh” is published in ‘Tobacco Control’ in 2011. He is author/co-author of about 15 publications and editor/co-editor of other 20 publications on tobacco control.

Mr. Saifuddin Ahmed represented civil society to the various conferences and events on global tobacco control since 1998. He attended six (5th to 10th) Asia-Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health (APACT) from 1998 to 2013 and five (11th to 15th) World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) from 2000 to 2012. He missed 16th WCTOH due to visa problem. He also represented each of Inter-governmental Negotiating Body (INB) and Conference of the Party (COP) of the FCTC.

He attended couple of World Health Assembly (WHA), World Lung Conference (WLC) and World Cancer Congress (WCC). He also attended many other local, regional, continental and global meeting, conferences on tobacco control invited guest.

He travelled more than 40 countries from Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, North and South America continent to attend various international conference and events.

Saifuddin Ahmed also served as member of WHO Ad-hoc Study Group on Alternative Crops and Law Drafting Committee on Tobacco Control Law under Ministry of Health of the Government of Bangladesh. He is also serving member of National Task forces for Tobacco Control Law implementation and life member of Bangladeshi Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), national civil society platform on environmental perspective.