It is Pink Day in Bangladesh today, or in other words, Breast Cancer Awareness Day. It is a day when we show solidarity along with various other organisations and speak up against this illness.

Taking the lead, Centre for Cancer Prevention & Research

will start a "pink rally" from the capital's Shahbagh at 7:30am, along with 1CCDR, B; iCMH, YWCA, Aparajita, a cancer survivors' association and many others.

At 3:00pm, an awareness raising programme will be held in Dhanmondi's Rabindra Sarobar where experts, breast cancer survivors and social leaders will speak on the illness and also talk about how to fight it, not fear it.

Moreover, writer and cancer survivor Kazi Rozi will also speak during the event.

According to GLOBOCAN 2008, breast cancer is by far the most frequent cancer among

women with an estimated 1.38 million new cases diagnosed in 2008, and ranks second, 10.9 percent, of all cancers.

Amongst Bangladeshi women, new breast cancer cases increase by a 21 percent every year, where many die.

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"I believe the first breast cancer awareness day was observed in the west, in the year 1948," says Dr Md Habibullah Talukdar, one of the first individuals to raise awareness against the illness.

"I along with a few associations had observed a Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Week back in 2006," said the head of the Department of Cancer Epidemiology at the National Cancer Research Institute and Hospital.

"In 2007, the programme got bigger and Nokia tagged along with us. Every year, our awareness programme gets bigger and reaches more people. This year we have with us more than 100 girl schools, educational institutions, university halls, basically targeting the

female youth," he said.

It was last month when Dr Talukdar and his team decided to look no further and observe the day on the second Thursday of October.

"We chose this day for many reasons - unexpected political turmoil being one of them. Also, we do not want to observe the day on a Friday. We would like it very much if the common people would come and join us in the streets and speak with us on stage, "he said.

Bangladesh Breast Cancer Awareness Forum has also been formed, which will make sure that the day is observed on this day every year.

"I would like to request all to wear something pink today, if not a pink ribbon, and support our movement," says Dr Habibullah.