Bangladesh |Support us, Give Now

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries with over 160 million people, 49% of whom live below the national poverty line. In addition, child malnutrition rates of 48 percent are the second highest in the world, a condition that is tied to the low social status of women in Bangladeshi society.

• Be inspired by Jesmeen’s story, a widow who formed her own women’s credit union.
Read our 2011 Report from Bangladesh
• See how THP-Bangladesh celebrated the 100th International Women’s Day on 8 March.
• Read about Srimoti Diti Adash, a volunteer animator in Bangladesh who is bringing improved hygiene, water and sanitation to her village.
• Discover how THP-Bangladesh set up a helpline for sexual harrassment victims.
• See photos of our global President & CEO, Mary Ellen McNish’s visit to Bangladesh in September 2010.
• Read more about our Active Citizens Programme with The British Council Bangladesh.

Our Work in Bangladesh

The Hunger Project has been active in Bangladesh since 1990 and is currently the country’s largest volunteer-based organisation covering all 64 districts.

The centrepiece of The Hunger Project’s strategy is the training and ongoing support of more than 130,000 volunteer animators, 40 percent of whom are women, who organise mass action campaigns in their areas. The animators focus their actions in clusters of villages known as unions and work closely with the elected Union Parishad (local government bodies) members to encourage decentralisation and increased access to resources. Union Parishads (UPs), which cover a population close to 20,000, are the unit of government closest to the people. UP-based initiatives include ensuring 100 percent sanitary latrine coverage, 100 percent birth and death registration, and open budget meetings to provide transparency and accountability.

The Hunger Project conducts training focused on gender issues and leadership to local women leaders in each area in which we work. These leaders then proceed to organise local meetings, lead workshops and initiate campaigns against early marriage and dowry, malnutrition, maternal and child mortality, gender discrimination, and inequality, illiteracy and corruption.

Strengthening Local Democracy

Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance) is a platform of committed, active and socially conscious citizens, mobilised by The Hunger Project, to strengthen grassroots democracy, ensure transparency and accountability of local government, and carry out advocacy initiatives at the national level. Shujan is also working for political and election reform. In 2007, Shujan expanded to include all 64 districts of the country, and Bangladesh Television telecast eight episodes of a talk show organised by Shujan.

Promoting Youth Leadership

Thousands of students participate in our Youth Ending Hunger (YEH) programme, which is mobilising over 100,000 students across the country. Recently, THP Bangladesh has partnered with the British Council and delivered youth leadership training to 2,400 young people. These trained youth activists have already launched 50 ‘social action projects’ out of the 160 projects planned. As part of these projects, they carried out many campaigns in their communities.

Reducing Gender Inequality

The Hunger Project catalysed the creation of a national alliance committed to ending all forms of discrimination against girls. Each year on September 30, this alliance organises over 800 National Girl Child Day events across the country. A formal alliance of 500 organisations, the Girl Child Forum, also works to address domestic violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Meet Badiul our Country Director in Bangladesh, learn more about the key initiatives that are empowering people to end their own hunger or take action now and get involved