The South Asia Strategic meeting on ban of asbestos took place in Brac Inn in Dhaka yesterday. The strategic meeting brought together 20 advocates, activists, victims and trade unionists from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Nepal who are working towards a ban of asbestos.

The goal of the meeting is to have focused discussions on building strategies nationally with the sub-region and work on coordinated activities in South Asia in terms of diagnosis, compensation and advocacy working towards a ban in the region.

In Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Ban Asbestos Network (B-BAN) since its inception in 2013 has been working on raising awareness, education, identifying affected workers and communities especially in Chittagong and B-BAN has the backing of the regional and global advocates for the complete ban of asbestos in Bangladesh.