BCCP, as a successor to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, USA, has become a premier Strategic Communication organization in the South Asia region providing holistic services in Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC).  Since its inception in 1996, the organization has diversified its work spectrum not only in communication program planning, designing and implementation, but also in conducting training and research. Throughout this process, BCCP has built a significant knowledge base and generated a large amount of information as well as intellectual capital from its on-going partnerships with different national and international organizations, including a long history of working closely with the Government of Bangladesh. These are valuable intangible assets, and for a long time BCCP has felt the need for efficiently managing and sharing these resources to enhance capacity of the SBCC professionals. So far, we have doing this via annual ‘Advances in Strategic Communication Workshop’ and several other means. But with the perspective of reaching out to the wider audience, BCCP plans to establish an institute to impart courses on strategic communication and knowledge management (KM).  The aim of this institute will be to gather and generate knowledge, facilitate appropriate sharing of information, promote the dissemination and utilization of knowledge, and build capacity of individuals and organizations in narrowing down the long existing information and KM gaps in the field of SBCC in Bangladesh. This will support utilizing its organizational experience and expertise in the academic arena in a more systematic way; and institutionalize KM concepts in Bangladesh for results-based SBCC.

 

We believe that as always,  our partners and well-wishers will be with us and extend their support towards our initiative  in building upcoming leaders who can use SBCC more efficiently and make a difference in people’s life .

Under the Gender Based Violence (GBV) project of International Organization for Migration (IOM), Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) has developed communication materials to raise awareness and improve the standard of lives of the Rohingya population in the Teknaf and Ukhiya district. Child Marriage, Child Abuse and Domestic Violence – based on these three issues, billboards, posters, flyers, flip charts, caps, t-shirts etc have been developed. Keeping the target audience in mind, use of Burmese language alongside the Bangla language was a notable part of this project.

 

IOM is an International Organization for Migration. The organization has been providing assistance in different migration related activities in Bangladesh.  Apart from Gender based Violence, IOM works with health and sanitation.

The Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) is implementing the Public Procurement Reform Project-II under the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), Ministry of Planning. Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCPP) is implementing Social Awareness and Communication on public procurement for the project   as consulting firm of CPTU. Under this program, BCCP has developed and erected two digital billboards with updated information regarding the progress of electronic government procurement or e-GP. One of them is located near the National Press Club under Dhaka South City Corporation and the other one is located near the Farmgate Over Bridge under Dhaka North City Corporation. 

 

Updated total number of tenders under e-GP system and their total estimated value is being displayed on the Billboards through live data system. In addition, messages on role of e-GP and benefits of enhancing transparency, accountability, efficiency in government procurement has also been included in the billboards.

 

Mr. A.H.M Mustafa Kamal, FCA, MP, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Planning inaugurated the billboard placed in National Press Club area on April 27, 2016. Mr. Faruque Hossain, Director General (Additional Secretary) of CPTU and other senior officials were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

 

The display of the e-GP digital billboards in such an important area of the capital city has commanded attention from the procuring entities, tenderers, other stakeholders,  policymakers and general audience, that is playing an important role in  transparent implementation of the electronic government procurement system. 

The Urban Primary Health Care Service Delivery Project (UPHSCDP) is being implemented with the overall objective of improving health status of the urban population, especially the poor, including women and children in Bangladesh. The project is operated in 10 City Corporations and four selected Pouroshovas in collaboration with 25 partner NGOs to provide quality primary health services with cheaper user fee. The services are being provided through 138 Rongdhanu Clinics known as Nagarmatrisadan and Nagar Sastho Kendro. The main feature of the project is that the red card holders can receive free services and others with cheaper user fee. One of the main activities of this project is demand generation for service utilization through conducting massive campaigns to promote the available UPHCSDP services and raise people’s awareness. As a part of this initiative, Local Level Logo Promotional Events were organized in all the 25 Partner Areas (PAs) to promote the Rainbow logo, Rainbow logo-marked clinics and the services delivered from these clinics. The events were organized following a well-planned standard design. BCCP organized this program with support from the officials of the concerned PA Units and PIUs under the guidance from Project Management Unit (PMU).

 

The promotional campaign was officially inaugurated on May 20, 2017 at PA Unit 4, Pallabi, Mirpur, Dhaka. During the event, UPHCSDP Project Director Mr. Md. Abdul Hakim Majumder, NDC, Brig. General Dr. S. M. M. Saleh Bhuiyan, Chief Health Officer (CHO), Dhaka North City Corporation and Program Manager, PIU, UPHCSDP and other senior officials from  PMU, PIU, PA Unit and BCCP were present among others. The CHO, Dhaka North City Corporation inaugurated the program by releasing a mini banner tied to gas balloons in the air. This was followed by a procession of different types of vehicles, including a horse-cart, easy bike, micro bus etc. decorated with specially designed banner and other promotional materials. When these vehicles marched slowly, along with miking awareness-raising leaflets were also distributed among the people leaving in the catchment areas where the Rainbow clinics were situated. Similar events were organized gradually in all 25 PAs. The public reaction during the events testifies that the programs could generate a huge amount of interest about the clinics among the surrounding people.

 

Besides the above campaign, BCCP also provided orientations to local-level leaders in all the 25 PA Units of UPHCSDP. The participating leaders included representatives from the city corporation or pourashova wards, religious leaders, slum leaders, professional organizations’ leaders, etc. The main objective of the orientations was to orient them on the services being provided by the Rainbow clinics and encourage them in promoting the services. 

HC3 launched Springboard ‘user challenge’ campaign during this quarter, to surge members’ engagement to boost discussions and post on the site. Springboard Regional Secretariat team (SRST) mobilized members to join the campaign. SRST members attended in two events to post news on Springboard on “Adolescent Friendly Health Corners in Selected Government Health Facilities in Bangladesh” and “Food Systems and Nutrition in Bangladesh” and also observed “International Mother’s Day”, “National Safe Motherhood Day” and “World No-Tobacco Day” on Springboard platform through posts and discussions. SRST organized a learning forum on “Global SBC Community and Springboard: Prospects and Challenges” for SBCC professionals in Bangladesh where Susan C. Krenn, Executive Director, JHUCCP delivered keynote speech. SRST made preparations for 5th Springboard Global Advisory Council meeting in New Delhi, India with illustrated promotional guidelines to present as a case study. SRST finalized promotion materials design, production and distribution. A new Samsung Tab was handed over to Springboard member, Sumit Banik who won a raffle draw from HC3 for completing his membership profile online.

 

Springboard is a global online platform for health communication professionals that is continuing efforts to engage its members to connect; share knowledge, experiences & activities and learn together to improve the practice of health communication. To register on Springboard, please visit - https://healthcomspringboard.org/register-for-springboard

The annual 9th ICT4D Conference was held on May 15-18, 2017 in Hyderabad International Conference Center (HICC), Hyderabad, India. The 2017 ICT4D Conference is organized by a consortium of the following organizations: Anudip, CRS, Dalberg, the Digital Impact Alliance, Environmental Systems Research Institute, ICRISAT, iMerit, Mercy Corps, NetHope and World Vision. The ICT4D Conference brings together thought leaders from around the world to explore how innovation in technology is making a measurable difference in millions of people’s lives.

This year the focus was on using data to accelerate achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – creating a healthy, prosperous and just world. 

 

There were 1000 participation, 30 exhibitors from 76 different countries and 300 organizations over four days. This is to be mentioned that staff capacity development is an ongoing activity of BCCP. BCCP is carrying out its activities in a systematic and planned manner to enhance the leadership of Middle Management in projects and activities. Staff capacity is being enhanced via formal and informal training, workshops, orientations, and hands-on mentoring and coaching. As a part of this continuous development process, BCCP management has nominated Mr. Poresh Chandra Roy, Senior Program Officer - IT to participate in this conference.

The South Asia Tobacco Control Leadership Program held on 7- 13 May 2017 at Kathmandu, Nepal. The program was organized by The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHBSPH), the Action Nepal and the Ministry of Health, Nepal. This program has been developed jointly in collaboration with JHBSPH and Bloomberg Initiative Partners. Financial support for the program was provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies through the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. 

 

The Leadership Program was focused on building capacity to develop effective tobacco control policy and interventions. The program course sessions focused on a myriad of tobacco topics including policy development; advocacy; communications; implementation and evaluation; and management and leadership.

Seventy-four participants from eight SAARC countries attended this seven days Program. Ms. Saira Ameer, Manager – Message Development, BCCP participated in this program. This is to be mentioned that staff capacity development is an ongoing activity of BCCP. BCCP is carrying out its activities in a systematic and planned manner to enhance the leadership of Middle Management in projects and activities. Staff capacity is being enhanced via formal and informal training, workshops, orientations, and hands-on mentoring and coaching. As a part of this continuous development process, BCCP management has nominated Ms. Saira Ameer to participate in this program.