Tag Archive for: Poverty In Bangladesh

Posts

, ,

Menstrual Product Vending Machines in Bangladesh

Menstrual product vending machines in BangladeshGlobally, period poverty remains a widespread problem. The World Bank estimates that 500 million people who menstruate worldwide lack access to menstrual products and the facilities needed to manage their periods. In developing nations, such as Bangladesh, the lack of supplies poses threats to women’s health, education and environmental safety. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) National Hygiene Survey reported sanitary pad usage among women and girls at roughly 17% to 29%. Lacking clean, sustainable supplies, many resort to old clothes or dirty cloths, missing school and work every month. With no easy way of disseminating products due to social taboos and costs, period poverty limits schoolgirls’ chance to learn simply because of their gender.

Bangladesh, where period poverty remains widespread, is working to change this reality. Protecting both the environment and women’s health, the nation has introduced menstrual product vending machines, and reusable cloth pads are reshaping menstrual health management. Two organizations helping to fight period poverty are Freedom Sanitary Napkin and Fresh Anonna. Freedom has installed more than 100 vending machines across universities, colleges and public spaces, and Fresh Anonna has brought machines to schools and madrasahs, alongside education programs that challenge social taboos and expand access.

Instant Access and Stigma Reduction via Vending Machines

Periods are a monthly bodily occurrence and one that is often stigmatized, especially in rural Bangladeshi communities. According to the World Bank, more than 70% of Bangladeshi youth believe menstruating girls should avoid activities such as going out, cooking or eating certain foods. Placing menstrual product vending machines in schools helps normalize the bodily function. Dhaka University and Eden Women’s College are among the institutions installing automated dispensers, which provide low-cost products to students who need them.

Access is not the only benefit; these dispensers are also cost-effective. Pads cost around 10 Bangladeshi taka (about $0.08), eliminating the need to buy expensive packs. The dispensers also avoid the social taboo of purchasing products in busy marketplaces or from male shopkeepers, offering a discreet method of access. Placing the machines inside restrooms, away from public view, also helps lower period-related absenteeism.

Long-Term Affordability through Reusable Pads

Menstrual product vending machines address emergency needs but pose a risk to the environment. Standard single-use pads generate large amounts of plastic waste. A plastic pad can take 500 to 800 years to decompose in a landfill, while one person can use up to 16,000 disposable products in their lifetime. Sustainable, reusable pads help reduce lifetime waste, and continuously purchasing single-use items is financially out of reach for many households.

Organizations such as EcoVation Bangladesh, through initiatives like “Project MyPad,” transform textile waste into washable cloth pads that can be used multiple times. In rural communities, workshops teach women how to make their own products; sewing together multi-layered products that can be washed and reused. The financial relief is immediate. A single set of reusable pads lasts up to three years, replacing hundreds of disposable items and drastically lowering household expenses. Women also learn imperative information about the menstrual process and key ways to handle their time of the month. These programs protect both physical health and monthly budgets.

A Dual Strategy for Gender Equality

Women lift economies; addressing their needs and struggles remains imperative in the fight for poverty reduction. Focusing on both women’s health and sustainability, Bangladesh prioritizes eco-friendly solutions, accessible through a widespread network that uplifts girls across regions. Scaling up menstrual product vending machines in Bangladesh provides high-tech, immediate relief in urban schools and factories, while reusable pads deliver an economical alternative tailored for rural communities.

– Maya Tung

Maya is based in Summit, NJ, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

,

Space Technology is Reducing Food Insecurity

Space Technology is Reducing Food InsecurityThe concept of space technology is almost always associated with astronauts and exploration; however, some of the most important impacts are actually occurring on Earth. World hunger is becoming an increasing risk, particularly to developing nations, under the influence of the changing climate. An estimated 266 million people across 47 countries are facing acute food insecurity. Space technology is helping vulnerable countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh and Ethiopia predict climate risks, improve agricultural productivity and distribute aid more effectively. In Bangladesh, extreme poverty is projected at 9.3%, though nearly one-third of the population remains vulnerable. Kenya’s overall poverty rate sits at nearly 40%. Ethiopia projects an increase to 43%.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, space technology is reducing food insecurity by improving flood prediction and disaster management. Google has created its own platform called Flood Hub, an interactive map that satellite technology continuously monitors and updates. This platform allows individuals worldwide to check the expected risk severity of floods. It is particularly useful for farmers because it provides a high-resolution and accessible platform, transforming flood disaster management from reactive to anticipatory. This allows farmers to protect agriculture and food supplies, since its warnings incentivize them to harvest earlier and prevent large-scale crop losses.

A more recent and unique adaptation in Bangladesh to severe flooding and prolonged waterlogged land is the creation of “Floating Vegetable Gardens,” or dhap. Humanitarian agencies use satellite terrain data and historical inundation mapping to identify areas that remain flooded for months. This data guides the calculated placement of the dhaps to utilize wetland resources. As a result, communities gain up to 40% more arable land to grow nutrient-dense food, even when the landscape is underwater.

Kenya

In Kenya, 4.4 million people struggle to feed themselves. Space technology is reducing food insecurity by improving drought prediction and climate-smart farming. It does this by providing detailed information on the strength, location, spatial extent and duration of droughts. Satellites such as Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) can map soil moisture, since a stronger signal indicates a higher concentration of water in the soil. Another method that helps forecast droughts is the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), which measures how green the vegetation in a specific area is compared to the past. Satellites photograph the land, allowing scientists to compare differences in wavelength bands across images and track how vegetation conditions change. This method can detect canopy moisture loss and thermal stress before visible signs of wilting appear, meaning experts can spot natural droughts weeks before they manifest on the ground.

Satellite technology can combat widespread hunger through smart farming. One example is where space data is paired with the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence tools on platforms such as Synnefa. Synnefa is a Kenyan agritech company founded in 2014 that operates across 13 African countries. It helps more than 32,000 farmers optimize operations through its FarmCloud platform and smart hardware. The platform gives farmers access to sensor data such as temperature, soil moisture and nitrogen levels in the soil. This access lets them make informed decisions about when to irrigate or fertilize their crops, which maximizes crop yield and reduces vegetation death.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, researchers are testing predictive machine learning models that use satellite data to help predict crop yields, forecast droughts and optimize harvests. These models scan the Earth using multispectral imagery combined with live vegetation index, historical weather patterns, soil health registries and temperature grids. The models then process this dense geospatial data and translate it for farmers through text messages, automated voice calls or interactive chat channels in native languages like Amharic or Oromo. Early research from Eastern Ethiopia shows these models can meaningfully improve crop yield forecasting accuracy. However, results vary by crop and region, and researchers say further work is needed before the technology can be deployed at scale across Ethiopian farms.

Although space technology may seem far removed from the daily realities of poverty and hunger, its impact is increasingly being felt in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. From improving flood forecasting in Bangladesh to enabling climate-smart farming in Kenya and AI-powered crop prediction research in Ethiopia, satellite technology is helping farmers make better decisions, protect livelihoods and increase food production in the face of climate change. As food insecurity continues to affect millions across the globe, investment in innovative technologies such as these could play an important role in building more resilient agricultural systems and advancing progress toward ending hunger.

– Sumi Shrestha

Sumi is based in Tonbridge, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

The Immediate Crisis of Maternal Care in Bangladesh

Maternal Care in BangladeshBangladesh is encountering significant obstacles in maternal and infant care, according to new documents that the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation released. Progress has been made since 1990, but Bangladesh still has one of the highest rates of stillbirths in South Asia, requiring urgent intervention.

Factors Leading to Maternal Death 

Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death in Bangladesh, accounting for approximately 40% of maternal deaths. Eclampsia is the second-leading cause, responsible for about 23% of maternal deaths. Severe anemia also contributes to maternal mortality, although it is not the third-leading cause of death in the nationally representative survey.

Studies show that many women who died from postpartum hemorrhage were unable to receive timely, appropriate care because of delays in treatment, limited maternal healthcare resources and overburdened health facilities. In one study, two of 11 women who experienced postpartum hemorrhage died at home, while 12 of 24 women died in public health facilities. Two of 12 women died while being transported to a health facility, and one of six died at a private facility.

Maternal Child Health Handbook

The World Health Organization proposed a home-based maternal record as an efficient tool to effectively connect pregnant women and their families to community health employees and specialists. The maternal and child health handbook (MCH) is the most extensive home-based book that comprises all the records of the continuous care for both mothers and children. The MCH includes labor and postpartum care. The MCH communication intervention was utilized on a mobile platform, which included text, audio messages and phone calls if vital. The intervention included sending reminders for antenatal care visits and a list of locations for proficient birth specialists.

Accessibility to Education

Improving access to maternal health care and skilled birth attendants is essential to reducing maternal mortality, particularly by ensuring women receive timely care during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum emergencies. Education can also play an important role in helping women recognize health risks and seek appropriate care. Mothers in Bangladesh now have access to the Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome. It is a CARE project that’s financed by the European Union and Austrian Development Cooperation. Women get to learn how to take precise safety measures, get doctor checkups and eat nutritious meals.

United Nations Population Fund Deployment of Midwives

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stationed midwives in government facilities in Bangladesh and implemented three-year specialized midwifery courses in 2012. Midwives are trained health professionals who provide sexual, reproductive and maternal health care and can help women receive timely care during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum emergencies. In June 2018, 593 midwives were deployed, and in August 2018, another 550 midwives were placed at various Upazila medical centers in Bangladesh. These successful midwives, such as Tania Aktar, who delivered 200 babies, provided prenatal care to thousands of women. The UNFPA’s incorporation of midwives into healthcare systems will help Bangladesh accomplish a zero maternal mortality rate.

Bangladesh: Poverty and Maternity Care

Many families in Bangladesh continue to live in extreme poverty, making it difficult for pregnant women to access the nutritious food they need for a healthy pregnancy. In one study, women reported eating less during pregnancy because they could not afford staple foods such as rice and potatoes or other nutritious foods. Some families survived by relying on neighbors for small amounts of rice, which they sometimes sold to purchase other necessities such as salt and vegetables. When household incomes were insufficient, some pregnant women also took on physically demanding work, including cleaning other people’s homes, to help support their families. These financial hardships contribute to poor maternal nutrition and increase the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Looking Ahead

Addressing the crisis of maternal care in Bangladesh requires women to utilize child health handbooks to be able to communicate with medical professionals. Bangladesh has enlarged their midwife deployment in government facilities to enhance accessibility to proficient care and improve educational initiatives.

– Ruba Alghurab

Ruba Alghurab is based in Debary, FL, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

,

Local Efforts for Clean Water in Bangladesh

Workers distribute clean water to flood-affected areas in Bangladesh.Access to clean water in Bangladesh is a constant struggle, especially for those living in rural, often poverty-stricken areas. More than 70 million people, 41% of the population, do not have access to safely managed drinking water. Since 2015, urban water access has improved by more than 50%, yet rural access has slightly declined, disproportionately affecting indigenous communities. This also greatly affects women and girls, who are responsible for nearly 90% of water collection, as the time spent retrieving water inhibits their ability to work or earn an education. Contaminated water also increases the risk of skin infection and disease, which leads to higher medical costs. Because of this, clean water access is imperative in any effort to reduce poverty.

Bridging the Gap

Rural communities have taken proactive steps in their pursuit of clean water. Residents of remote villages in hilly or mountainous areas sometimes travel for hours searching for water. Often, the stream or well they find is contaminated or dried up. To fill their pots, they must sit in a hole and wait for the water to trickle in, which can take upwards of an hour. Additionally, one pot may not last an entire day, so more water must be collected in the evening. Yet in some areas, local residents, with help from outside aid, have built their own piping systems. These systems decrease the risk, time and effort associated with accessing clean water in Bangladesh.

Mong Pa Khai Para Village

In Mong Pa Khai Para village, located in Bandarban in southeast Bangladesh, community members built their own piping system, which provided safely managed water to 141 households. Led by women forming the Village Development Organization, the community contributed about 15% of the project cost and helped transport materials and install water tanks during construction. The system is situated atop a three-story school building, has a deep borehole with a capacity of 10,000 liters and will provide water directly to the village through an underground pipe network. The BRAC Integrated Development program helped finance and build the system. Already, the village has formed a committee to decide how to effectively maintain it.

Kalishakhali Village

In Kalishakhali village, Community Partners International assisted residents in building a safe water network in 2024. Kalishakhali is located in the Barisal District, where more than a quarter of the population lives in poverty. The system contains a deep tube well where water is drawn using a pump, and is then stored in a water tank sitting on a raised platform. Households pay a small monthly fee for electricity and maintenance, and any extra funds are used to assist in building more systems in surrounding areas. The project provided more than 100 households with safe access to water, and gave residents more time for work and family life.

Looking Ahead

Despite significant aid efforts, such as the more than $1 billion Water.org has mobilized for clean water in Bangladesh, safe access remains a daily struggle for many Bangladeshi citizens. As seen in Kalishakhali and Mong Pa Khai Para, rural villages are desperate for support and willing to assist in the building of clean water systems. Clean water is a building block toward poverty reduction, as it provides people the health and time necessary to improve their circumstances. The transformation of lives in Bangladesh continues through the building of these networks.

– Joshua P Megson

Joshua is based in Albemarle, NC, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

,

Mental Health Support in Bangladesh After Natural Disasters Strike

Mental Health Support in BangladeshBangladesh ranks among the top countries in the world in terms of deaths and home displacements due to natural disasters. Between 1970 and 2005, half a million people died from natural disasters, primarily cyclones, floods, riverbank erosion and droughts. While the main responses to such devastation have been to the physical well-being of citizens and to rebuild infrastructure, another key issue is addressing the mental health concerns of those impacted.

Eastern Floods

In August 2024, more than 500,000 were forced from their homes and 71 were killed by devastating floods. The rivers and overall water levels in cities like Feni threatened to cover the rooftops of many buildings as the water levels reached up to 30 feet in some places. Citizens directed traffic to allow emergency vehicles to arrive faster. Acts of kindness included giving out hot meals and helping evacuate stranded individuals by boat.

Besides being impacted by the flood, people in such an altered environment are at greater risk of experiencing different forms of violence. To help mitigate this problem, the government provided women experiencing gender-based violence with safe shelters. Many of these women also received psychological first aid to help manage their trauma.

Psychological first aid is not a formalized therapy session. It provides a safe space for affected individuals to process trauma and helps connect people with additional disaster relief resources. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) provided medical support for more than 83,000 individuals. Thousands also received psychological aid in the same place where medical support was provided.

People living in poverty can have their situations exacerbated by various circumstances, with extreme floods being one of the worst. About three-quarters of impoverished households see their economic situations worsen after a flood. Bangladesh lost over a million metric tons of food due to the 2024 floods, primarily rice and vegetables. This caused food prices to rise and led to increased inflation. Sixty-two percent of households regularly had scarce meals as a result.

Cyclone Sidr

A devastating Category 4 storm hit Bangladesh in November 2007, killing over 3,400 people, injuring 55,000 and displacing 500,000 from their homes. Beyond the physical damage, a quarter of those impacted by the storm suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The BDRCS organized a psychological first aid program to provide mental health support in Bangladesh after the storm. It included staff members as well as community volunteers, including 20 psychology students from Dhaka University. Over 400 additional volunteers were trained to help in highly affected areas. As part of the immediate recovery goals after the cyclone, the BDRCS aimed to help 20,000 people with psychosocial support.

The BDRCS also provided funding for individuals impacted by the storm to help them improve their situations. A woman named Misti built her own boat for a ferry service thanks to a grant from the BDRCS. She uses this boat to have a self-sustaining career and to help people escape dangerous situations when another major storm is on the horizon. There are many more success stories of people achieving financial independence thanks to BDRCS funding.

A Preemptive Plan of Action

In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Bangladesh developed a preemptive plan to mitigate the effects of future natural disasters. The WHO will increase mental health support in Bangladesh before, during and after disasters and will also seek feedback from people in refugee camps to determine how they can be better supported.

At least 16% of people in Bangladesh experience a mental health challenge due to various circumstances beyond natural disasters. However, the actual number is estimated to be much higher due to many remaining undiagnosed or untreated. Since there is a predisposition toward worsening mental health after a natural disaster, it is helpful for care in some form to be set in place every step of the way.

– Logan Hessek

Logan is based in Northglenn, CO, US and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Friendship’s 3-Tier System and Health Care in Bangladesh

Health Care in BangladeshBangladesh is at the heart of the battle against the changing climate. According to the World Bank, around 21% of the country is prone to annual flooding. This leaves many inhabitants isolated without access to health care and makes it difficult to build permanent hospitals. Approximately 12 million people live on the chars, which are river islands formed by sediment deposits due to flooding. Accessing hospitals can be difficult for these people due to damaged infrastructure.

In 2002, Bangladeshi entrepreneur Runa Khan began Friendship, a social purpose organization. The organization aims to address the challenges faced by the inhabitants of the chars with floating medical boats and other community initiatives using a three-tier system.

Friendship’s Three-Tier System

  • Tier 1: Floating Medical Boats Expand Health Care Access in Bangladesh: On the frontline of the system are three floating medical boats that serve the chars, as well as the land hospital located in Shyamnagar. The purpose of the boats is to expand medical care to those in rural areas who cannot access hospitals due to seasonal flooding, which damages roads and infrastructure. The floating medical boats offer free surgeries, check-ups, and medicine, along with pediatric, gynecological, dental and eye care. The boats help up to 175 people per day.
  • Tier 2: Satellite Clinics Focus on Prevention and Women’s Health: Satellite clinics carry out frequent visits to rural and isolated zones to educate communities on hygiene and nutrition, as well as providing basic treatments and free medicine. The main focus of these clinics is prevention and follow-ups. For instance, Friendship screens more than 18,000 women per year for cervical cancer and treats around 150 women for precancerous lesions.
  • Tier 3: Community Medic-Aids Support Health Care: The Friendship Community Medic-Aids (FCMs) are women trained by the organization to give primary health care to the communities. Some of these women are also trained as Community Skilled Birth Assistants (CSBAs) to give ante- and post-natal care, deliver children and provide basic childcare. In 2022-23, a study showed that over 90% of people asked had taken health care services from FCMs, demonstrating the impact they have on the communities.

Combining Health Care and Climate Adaptation

Friendship not only provides health care services but also addresses other issues like climate resilience. To prepare the communities for natural disasters, Friendship has carried out preventative measures such as restoring forests to protect villages from cyclones. More than 650,000 trees have been planted on the southern coast of the country, protecting at least 125,000 people.

Actions like these help combat many issues suffered due to storms. The destruction of villages and infrastructure can lead to malnutrition from a shortage of resources, a lack of health care due to isolation and an increased risk of waterborne diseases from living in flooded areas. Friendship’s three-tier system with floating medical boats, satellite clinics, and FCMs allows medical staff to reach vulnerable communities in times of need, while also implementing preventative measures to save more lives.

In 2025, Friendship was a finalist for the Earthshot Prize for its incredible work protecting the communities in Bangladesh. The organization’s holistic three-tier system demonstrates how health care and climate adaptation can work together to support the vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.

– Emma Wheeler

Emma is based in Valencia, Spain and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

 

, ,

Bangladesh’s Trillion-Dollar Economy Plan

Bangladesh's Trillion-Dollar Economy PlanBangladesh has spent the past few years navigating political and economic challenges, with poverty still affecting many rural communities where access to adequate income and food remains limited. In response, the government has been actively pursuing strategies to stabilize and strengthen the economy. Most notably, the finance minister recently confirmed Bangladesh’s trillion-dollar economy plan, targeting economic growth to reach the milestone by 2034.

While this goal may seem distant, economic transformation is rarely immediate. Sustainable growth requires consistent policy implementation, structural reforms and time for these changes to yield stable, measurable results.

What Is the Plan for Achieving This Goal?

Bangladesh’s biggest source of financial support comes from the garment sector. However, the country might face a shock due to its standard approach to this sector. If an economy wants to thrive, it needs diversity to achieve its goals.

The government has prepared a plan and is considering investing more money, creating jobs across various sectors, democratizing the economy and opening new sectors in creative fields and sports. The main reason is to give the country a range of options and help it become part of Bangladesh’s trillion-dollar economy plan. However, looking at the figures for the last financial year, economic growth was 0.48% lower than expected, mainly because it relied heavily on the service and agriculture sectors to generate that profit. 

Therefore, the government has developed this diversity plan to achieve this goal. Bangladesh attracted significant foreign investment, with its strongest year recorded in 2019 when direct investment exceeded $1.8 billion. However, political upheaval and internal ambiguity led to a decline in investment levels in subsequent years.

Despite these challenges, 2025 marked a recovery year for Bangladesh, with direct investment rising to $1.77 billion. Although this figure remains below the 2019 peak, it shows that foreign investors are still interested in investing in the country despite the global financial situation.

Bangladesh and the International Monetary Fund

Earlier in April 2026, discussions during a meeting in Washington, D.C. raised concerns about Bangladesh’s financial situation. Although Bangladesh was approved for more than $5 billion in IMF loans between January 2023 and June 2025, the country has received only about $3.64 billion so far, with nearly $2 billion still pending for future disbursement.

The program was not designed to give the country the money for free; it came with conditions, such as increasing government revenue and strengthening oversight of the banking sector. Bangladesh agreed to these terms before signing the deal, as the measures were intended to support stronger long-term financial stability.

If Bangladesh is serious about becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, it must take economic diversification more seriously, as the country still relies heavily on the garment sector and foreign direct investment. The government also needs to reform trade policies, strengthen sustainability measures and address key industry challenges to protect long-term growth.

Final Thoughts

Bangladesh aims to expand investment into higher-value sectors such as banking, insurance, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals to strengthen long-term financial stability and maintain steady investment inflows. Diversifying the economy is considered essential to the country’s goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, as it would create multiple sources of revenue and improve resilience during financial issues.

These are challenges Bangladesh can overcome. Over the past 30 years, the country has shown remarkable economic resilience through a hardworking labor force, a dynamic private sector and strong financial flows.

– Sibel Yasharoglu

Sibel is based in Leicester, UK and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

, ,

Fighting Back: Cholera Vaccine Shortages in Bangladesh

Fighting Back Against Cholera Vaccine Shortages in Bangladesh Bangladesh’s battle against cholera has been long-standing and complicated by various factors, including limited access to clean water and Bangladesh’s high population density. With the rise in funding cuts to global aid, there has been a significant increase in vaccine shortages in Bangladesh. However, with the implementation of certain countermeasures, the fight against cholera vaccine shortages shows promise.

The Cholera Cycle

The prevalence of cholera in Bangladesh has been estimated to be around 100,000 cases per year.

This is due to a number of different factors, including Bangladesh’s rainfall season, where there is an increase in floods and droughts.

As cholera is transmitted by consuming contaminated food and water, the increase in rainfall in Bangladesh every year creates a cycle of increasing and decreasing cholera infections. Typically, this is addressed with vaccination protocols such as the mass oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaign that was put in place for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

However, with continuous cuts to funding across the globe, the availability of vaccinations has been on a steady decrease, making vaccination campaigns like the mass OCV campaign for the Rohingya people a challenge to replicate.

In response to most cholera outbreaks, there is a two-dose protocol in vaccination schemes. Due to funding cuts, the number of doses usually provided in these schemes has been reduced by international organizations that provide vaccinations. This reduction to only one dose has been an attempt to mitigate the impact of the limited global supply.

The Global Response to Low Vaccination Stocks

The vaccine shortages in Bangladesh, as with other countries, have been slowly receiving pushback from global actors such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. As of February 2026, the global supply of cholera vaccinations has increased to sufficient levels for vaccination programs to resume. Bangladesh is set to receive 10.3 million doses.

Furthermore, the cholera vaccination shortages in Bangladesh have only provided incentives to promote secondary countermeasures against cholera outbreaks. Campaigns such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), which aim to provide safe water and sanitation, have already been in existence for more than a decade.

Cholera is spread by contaminated food and water. With a shift in focus to efforts that promote sanitation and clean water, alongside proper vaccination protocols, the battle against cholera in Bangladesh can continue.

Looking Ahead

The cholera endemic in Bangladesh has always been one of Bangladesh’s biggest health challenges, with around 3,000 deaths occurring annually. This is a problem that continues to persist, especially with the instability caused by vaccine shortages. Despite this, with vaccination campaigns in Bangladesh resuming, the fight against cholera outbreaks resumes with renewed momentum.

– Bernice Attawia

Bernice is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

,

The Monsoon’s Aftermath: Structural Reforms in Bangladesh

Structural Reforms in BangladeshThe year 2024 was a monumental time for Bangladesh as protests rocked the nation for three months, culminating in the previous government being forced to resign. Immediately, the interim government was tasked with implementing various structural reforms in order to address the numerous systemic problems facing the average citizen in Bangladesh, including continued vulnerabilities within the financial sector, rising inflation and decreased GDP growth.

Transitional Power

Even before the Monsoon Revolution, Bangladesh was experiencing momentum in economic growth. Implementing trade reforms and export diversification helped to sustain growth as inflationary pressure eased and external conditions improved.

However, that was off the back of 15 years of consolidated power, weakening civilian institutions and using force to suppress critics and opposition members of the government.

Now that the regime had been ousted and the new interim government put in its place, it was immediately faced with the structural pressures a less-than-peaceful transition of power brings about.

The new prime minister laid out a roadmap centered on reform of the financial sector and economic stabilization. Policies such as restoring the independence of the Bangladesh Bank, deregulating the financial market and accelerating reforms to improve revenue mobilization were implemented. These reforms are intended to ensure a gradual ease in doing business in the country and macroeconomic stabilization.

The new ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party has also made other reforms part of its platform, including combating corruption with a stated zero-tolerance policy. The party has addressed the disparity between the rich and poor, looking to create an Economic Reform Commission to address the gap through the “equitable distribution of growth benefits, upholding equality, human dignity, and social justice.” The party also plans to bring fair wages for the working class and reform labor laws to create better working environments.

Looking Ahead

Since the July Uprising, Bangladesh has been in a state of transition across its economy, politics and standard of living. With structural reforms being passed and plans laid out to address the systemic issues in Bangladesh, the effectiveness of the new government’s approach will become clearer over time.

– Alexander Petrov

Alexander is based in Boston, MA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Improving Access to Education in Bangladesh

Education in BangladeshBangladesh has made significant progress in expanding access to education, especially at the primary level. However, many students still drop out before completing secondary school, with only around 64% continuing beyond primary education. Factors such as child labor, early marriage and limited access to quality education continue to shape these outcomes. 

These challenges affect all students, but they disproportionately impact girls, limiting their long-term economic opportunities.

Access to Education in Bangladesh

Surovi, a nonprofit school in Dhaka, makes education accessible for children who are often excluded from the system, including those living on the streets or growing up without stable family support. Founded in 1979, the organization focuses on reaching vulnerable groups who would otherwise remain out of school.

For many girls, Surovi serves as a critical entry point into education. They face higher risks of early dropout, child marriage and long-term economic dependency, making access to Surovi school especially important. However, access alone is not enough. 

The quality of education remains uneven, as limited resources and a shortage of trained teachers continue to affect how students learn and progress.

The Role of Education in Shaping Opportunities

Education plays a key role in shaping both individual futures and broader economic development, particularly in regions like South Asia, where poverty remains a persistent challenge. According to the World Bank, although Bangladesh has reduced poverty over time, many people still face economic vulnerability, especially in marginalized communities. In this context, education in Bangladesh becomes essential for creating long-term opportunities, particularly for women.

Beyond basic skills, education builds awareness, confidence and independence. More educated societies tend to be more open to new ideas and better equipped to respond to social and economic challenges. For women, this impact is even more significant. Education helps delay early marriage, improves access to employment and allows women to participate more actively in the workforce.

Research by UNESCO shows that expanding access to education can significantly reduce poverty, with studies suggesting that poverty could be cut by more than half if all adults completed secondary education. As Malala Yousafzai emphasizes, education is a powerful tool for change. In this sense, it not only provides knowledge but also creates more capable and economically active individuals who can shape their own futures.

Education and Economic Pathways in Bangladesh

Pathshala South Asian Media Institute creates an atmosphere that makes education an alternative pathway into competitive job markets, particularly within creative industries. For one female student, studying photography became a turning point after a disrupted education journey. She explained that gaining skills and confidence helped her begin building a career, even in a field where income is not immediate and requires personal investment.

A teacher at Pathshala highlighted that these experiences reflect broader structural challenges. Barriers to education remain closely linked to poverty, geographic inequality and unequal access to quality institutions, especially outside major cities. Entering the job market is also highly competitive, with networks and connections often playing a crucial role alongside skills.

However, this dynamic is gradually shifting. More students are using digital platforms, portfolios and professional networks to access opportunities in media, freelancing and small-scale entrepreneurship. According to the teacher, when education is combined with practical skills, it enables students to move from unstable, low-income work to more sustainable livelihoods. While this transition takes time and is not equal for everyone, it shows how education can support long-term economic mobility.

From Education to Economic Empowerment

The experiences of students and educators in Bangladesh show that education is not just about learning but about creating pathways out of poverty, especially for women. As more women gain access to education, they are better positioned to move beyond low-income, unstable work into more secure and independent sources of income. In a situation where economic vulnerability and social expectations continue to shape women’s opportunities, education plays a critical role in shifting this reality. 

Women who gain skills, confidence and professional networks are more likely to enter the workforce, start their own ventures or build sustainable careers over time. While challenges such as unequal access, limited resources and a competitive job market remain, they do not erase the progress being made. Instead, they highlight the need for more inclusive and practical education systems.

Closing Remarks

Ultimately, breaking barriers in Bangladesh is not only about increasing access to education but ensuring that education leads to real economic outcomes. When women in Bangladesh can turn education into income and independence, the impact extends beyond individuals and directly reduces poverty across communities and generations.

Globally, education remains one of the strongest tools to fight poverty. According to UNESCO, around 171 million people could escape extreme poverty if all students left school with basic reading skills. Expanding access to quality education, especially for women, can accelerate this progress and create more equal economic opportunities across generations.

– Elif Oktar

Elif is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project. 

Photo: Pexels