Mohammad Al Amin, Senior Staff Correspondent of the Daily Sun, has received ‘PROGGA Tobacco Control Journalism Award 2022’.
He has been given the award in print journalism category for his special report titled ‘Making tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040: Loopholes in law stand in the way’ published in the Daily Sun on May 7 this year.
Other winners are Shamimul Haque, Joint Editor of the Daily Manabjamin (in print media category), Mosabber Hossain, Senior Reporter of the Daily Prothom Alo (in online media category) and Anowar Hossain, Staff Reporter of Desh Television (in TV media category). Each of the journalists received BDT 50,000, a certificate and a crest.
PROGGA, a Bangladesh-based non-profit organisation engaged in research, advocacy and campaign against tobacco, hypertension and trans-fat, gave the awards to journalists for their anti-tobacco reports.
The event was jointly organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) in association with Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK).
Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, chairman of the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, handed over the awards as the chief guest at the programme.
Md Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy Advisor for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) - Bangladesh, Dr Syed Mahfuzul Haq, National Professional Officer, World Health Organisation (Bangladesh Country Office), and Professor Dr Arup Ratan Choudhury, Founding President of Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse (MANAS), were present as special guests at the event chaired by ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA.
Md Mostafizur Rahman said there is no alternative but to strengthen tobacco control law to build a tobacco-free Bangladesh as envisioned by the honourable Prime Minister.
Welcoming the government’s initiative to amend the law, Dr Syed Mahfuzul Haq said, “Journalists have played an effective role in helping our policymakers understand why such an amendment has been of utmost importance.”
Founder President of Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse (MANAS) Prof Dr Arup Ratan Choudhury expressed the hope that the existing law will be stricter in line with FCTC as per the Prime Minister’s directive.
Mohammad Al Amin made a series of reports on harmful effects of tobacco on human health, promotion of tobacco products by the companies in the name of CSR activities and tobacco consumption’s Bangladesh perspective.
He began his career in journalism since he was at university. With one and a half decades of experience in the field of journalism, he attended a number of workshops and symposiums.
Al Amin completed his postgraduate diploma on journalism at Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB).
