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Bangladesh
EXAMPLES OF OUR IMPACT
- USAID has supported the construction of 507 cyclone shelters that accommodate 507,000 people.
- USAID reaches out to 20,000 religious and community leaders every year to introduce them to development initiatives.
- Approximately 20 million Bangladeshis receive basic health care services every year through USAID's health programs.
USAID/BANGLADESH SITE
www.usaid.gov/bd/
CONTACTS
Mission Director
Richard Greene
USAID/Bangladesh
Department of State
Washington, DC 20521-6120
Tel: 880-2-885-5500
Bangladesh Desk Officer
Ananta H. Cook
Tel: (202) 712-4624
E-mail: ahans@usaid.gov
Jahangir Howlader applies urea deep placement briquettes in his paddy field. USAID supports the scale-up of this technology to smallholder rice farmers as part of the presidential Feed the Future initiative. The technology increases farmers' rice output and also saves them money in costly fertilizer. (Photo: USAID/Bangladesh) Overview
Bangladesh, a key ally of the United States, is one of the most densely populated and poorest countries in the world, with a moderate Muslim-majority population of 156 million. American assistance to Bangladesh includes support for free, fair, and credible elections and more transparent and accountable governance; support for a better educated, healthier, and more productive population; and resources to increase economic opportunities through equitable economic growth, improved food security, and disaster mitigation.
Programs
Investing in People: Health and Education
USAID supports the provision of low-cost, quality family planning services, maternal and child health care, and treatment for tuberculosis. USAID promotes the social marketing of contraceptives and assists public sector programs to manage contraceptive supply chain logistics, improve the use of contraceptives, and reduce maternal deaths. USAID-supported programs serve 38 percent of all couples using modern family planning methods. In 2009, USAID programs provided 91,000 pregnancy-related check-ups, vaccinations for 270,000 children, and essential care for 50,000 newborns.
An estimated 40 percent of Bangladeshi children do not complete the second grade. USAID's pioneering work in early childhood education, including its support for 2,400 preschools and its learning programs for older children, improve schools' ability to address poor attendance, low achievement, and high drop-out rates in primary school. The USAID-funded Sesame Street television program Sisimpur is the most widely viewed children's television program in Bangladesh.
Humanitarian Assistance: Improving Disaster Response
USAID's food security, disaster readiness, and humanitarian assistance programs target 3 million of the poorest and most malnourished people, providing solutions that enhance food security by raising incomes, improving health, and preparing for and mitigating against disaster. USAID funds the construction of earthen embankments that protect crops and allow more time to harvest, and earthen walls that stop erosion in low-lying areas. In 11 southern coastal districts impacted by cyclones Sidr and Aila, USAID has worked with more than 1 million families to restore their livelihoods after the disasters.
Increasing Economic Growth
USAID works with communities and the government through a co-management model for natural resources management. USAID also expands livelihoods opportunities for people in and around forest areas by promoting eco-friendly job development through training, alternative income-generating activities, and community-based eco-tourism.
USAID assists small and medium enterprises and farmers in the key sectors of aquaculture, horticulture, and leather to improve the quality of their products, increase sales, create jobs, and promote investment, particularly for the benefit of women, youth, and the rural poor, expanding access to global markets for these sectors. To increase agricultural productivity, USAID supports agricultural biotechnology research in eggplants and potatoes. USAID promotes sound water use management, improving soil fertility through zero or reduced tillage practices, use of balanced fertilizers, and deep placement of fertilizer underground. USAID assistance also supports the formulation and implementation of food policy in Bangladesh.
Governing Justly and Democratically
USAID addresses the root causes of corruption by improving the quality of governance by elected leaders, developing fair and open election processes, improving the functioning of political parties, and increasing parliamentary and citizen oversight of the national budget. USAID also works with nongovernmental organizations, local governments, and municipal associations to improve government accountability and the delivery of social services. These efforts have led to direct budget allocations from the national government to local government associations for the first time ever. In addition, these programs have achieved a 50 percent increase in local revenues in targeted areas.
USAID also works to reduce the prevalence of gender-based violence and increase respect for human rights in Bangladesh. USAID has provided assistance to more than 500 trafficking survivors since 2006. USAID also supports activities to increase collaboration and positive relations between police and communities and to enhance citizen effectiveness and accountability in community policing to ensure public security.
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