Bangladesh programme

Bangladesh is a low-lying country on the northern coast of the Bay of Bengal, traversed by many branches and tributaries of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. Tropical monsoons, frequent floods and cyclones inflict heavy damage in the delta region (a cyclone in 1991 killed 138,000 people).  Its population is approximately 140 million (in a country roughly the size of Wales), with 40% living on less than 50 pence per day, 80% on less than £1 per day.  Its political system is unstable and characterized by civil violence; corruption is endemic. There is relatively little industry, though the garments industry employs three million, overwhelmingly female, workers.  The rural population lacks health services, safe water, sanitary latrines, adequate education facilities and sustainable economy.

The scale of Concern Universal's work in Bangladesh has grown steadily for the past 15 years, and today we benefit 650,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable people.

Our work has traditionally focused on addressing the health and education needs of the country, though more recently we have added two significant sectors to our work: combating the trafficking of women and children from Bangladesh to India and helping communities to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, vitally important given that low-lying Bangladesh will be significantly affected by climate change. 

In all of our work we seek to ensure that we assist those most in need by maintaining a focus on gender and human rights issues.    We also look to develop the ability of local communities and our partner organisations to promote and support development initiatives within their own communities.

When Concern Universal started working in Bangladesh, our work was focussed exclusively in the south-eastern District of Cox's Bazar.   Today, our five local partners in Bangladesh ensure that we can reach the poorest communities in the south east, south west, and central areas of the country.   In addition, and as part of our work to combat cross-border human trafficking, we have two partner organisations based in Kolkata (Calcutta) in the Indian state of West Bengal.

In Bangladesh, Concern Universal strives to continously improve the effectiveness of our work to benefit those most in need.  As an international development organisation, Concern Universal does not act in isolation. The United Nations Development Programme Millennium Development Goals have set a global benchmark of targets to help bring about the elimination of poverty and the improvement of quality of life for people around the world. In Bangladesh, Concern Universal will endeavor to make a significant and lasting contribution towards the attainment of these targets.

Registered charity No: 272465 · Company Limited by Guarantee · Registered in London No: 1278887
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