Bangladesh

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Bangladesh:

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17 May 2026

“Digital Lifelines: Strengthening Resilience in a Connected World” Message for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2026

On World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, the International Telecommunication Union and the world recognize digital technologies as lifelines – connecting people to safety, services and one another.When disaster strikes, networks carry early warnings, enable first responders, and keep clinics, classrooms and public services up and running. But lifelines must be trusted, secure and accessible to all. Too many communities remain offline. Critical systems are vulnerable. Disinformation and cyberthreats are growing. And as climate emergencies intensify and the AI divide widens, the cost of inaction falls hardest on those already left behind.We must invest in connectivity – from seabed cables to satellites, from local access to open standards and digital skills. We must implement the Global Digital Compact, advance rights-based AI governance and strengthen cooperation across governments, industry and civil society.Digital infrastructure is an essential public good, so let us build it to withstand the crises ahead. When digital lifelines are universal and safe, every community can prepare, respond and recover.

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13 April 2026

From Voices to Action: Building a Youth Voice Mechanism in Bangladesh

Across Bangladesh, young people are eager to contribute to decisions that shape their lives and communities. Yet many – especially those from marginalized groups –are trying to find trusted, and effective ways to make their voices heard. To help address this, the UNESCO led the coordination of a nationwide effort to explore how youth participation can be strengthened and formally built into public decision‑making. Working with UN agencies, national consultants, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), UNESCO ensured that the process remained inclusive, coherent and aligned with national priorities.UNESCO stands with young people across Bangladesh to ensure their voices are not only heard, but built into the decisions that shape their lives. Working with national partners and the UN system, we are helping move from one-off consultations to lasting mechanisms that make participation inclusive and meaningful. Our commitment is clear: youth engagement must be part of how public decisions are made, not an exception to it. Khaled El-EnanyUNESCO Director-General A national youth survey, five regional workshops, and 14 focus group discussions brought together young people from all eight regions of Bangladesh. Rather than being asked simply to answer questions, they joined a co‑design process facilitated by UNESCO, helping to shape the proposed Youth Voice Mechanism (YVM). Particular efforts were made to include youth from ethnic minorities, tea‑estate workers, slum youth, young women, persons with disabilities, and gender‑diverse youth –ensuring that those who are usually left out were central to the discussion. UNESCO staff were present throughout consultations and focus group discussions, engaging directly and first‑hand with participants and helping to create spaces where sensitive issues could be shared openly.This is the first time we were invited not just to talk about problems, but to design solutions together.Youth participant, SylhetThe overarching aim was to develop a structured and long-term approach that ensures young people have a real say in decision-making processes. UNESCO supported the mapping of existing levels of youth participation, trust, and institutional responsiveness, while helping identify the social and structural barriers that continue to affect marginalized groups. The emerging Youth Voice Mechanism (YVM) model is rooted in evidence generated directly by young people and informed by international good practices, with strong attention to gender, accessibility, and accountability.The resulting YVM framework offers a practical way for young people to raise concerns related to livelihoods, safety, public services and dignity, and to channel them into formal decision‑making systems. Over time, a mechanism like this has the potential to reduce the need for crisis‑driven protests and encourage more continuous, constructive engagement between youth and state institutions Looking ahead, the next phase will involve piloting the Youth Voice Mechanism in different geographic and social contexts, testing how well it supports inclusivity, safety and responsiveness in real governance settings. As the mechanism develops, UNESCO’s leadership will remain central in ensuring that youth perspectives are systematically integrated into policy planning, service delivery, and accountability processes.

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24 February 2026

A Growing Movement in the Hill Tracts Against Digital Gender-Based Violence

For many women and girls, violence can seep through something as small as a phone screen. An unwanted text, a fake image or unhinged words. It follows them onto their phones, into their social media feeds, and into the private digital spaces where they hoped to feel safe. This year’s 16 Days of Activism focuses on digital violence. A growing form of harm that shapes how women learn, work, and express themselves online.Across the world, online abuse has become one of the fastest-rising forms of gender-based violence. UN studies show that women, especially young women, face far higher levels of harassment, threats, and non-consensual image sharing than men. WHO reminds us that one in three women will experience some form of violence in their lifetime. A 2023 UN study found that women, particularly young women and activists, are 27 times more likely to be harassed online than men. Today, many of those experiences are happening behind screens, often hidden from family and community support. In Bangladesh, digital violence has taken on new urgency as more young people connect to the internet. Girls are often the first to feel the risks—fake accounts, threatening messages, pressure for photos, and the fear of being shamed online. In remote areas, these fears are even sharper. The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has seen a quiet rise in online harassment, especially among indigenous girls who have limited access to digital literacy and fewer places to seek help. One teacher in Rangamati explained it simply, “Our girls are excited to use phones. But they don’t always feel safe. They know the danger, even when they cannot name it.”To respond to this growing concern, the Ecosystems Restoration Resilient Development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT) Project, with support from Global Affairs Canada and the European Union, launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign across the region. It aims to raise awareness about both digital and traditional gender-based violence, teach young people how to stay safe online, and bring communities together to support women and girls.Since 25 November 2025, the campaign has reached 3,959 people. This includes 2,672 women and girls and 1,287 men and boys, showing strong engagement from both groups. Students from 24 schools and colleges joined rallies, art competitions, debates, and digital safety sessions. Community members and traditional leaders gathered to discuss how online behaviour affects real lives. Many heard the term “digital violence” for the first time. During a poster-writing session in Khagrachhari, a college student said, “I thought harassment only meant someone touching you. Now I understand that a message can hurt too.”Others shared stories they had kept quiet for years. A young Marma girl whispered after a session, “I was scared to talk about what happened to me online. Today I learned it was not my fault.”Men and boys also took part, discussing their roles in creating safer spaces. A father in Bandarban reflected, “We must guide our sons. What they say online matters. It can protect a girl or break her confidence.”Reproductive Health Care Workers are also helping extend the campaign’s reach by sharing key messages with students and Mothers Club members in schools and colleges. Local police officers are visiting selected schools to talk directly with young people about the 16 Days of Activism, available support services, and how victim support centres operate.Across six upazilas, Local Volunteer Mediators Forums and youth groups are hosting events to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, bringing together teachers, education officers, students, mothers’ groups, and RHCWs to strengthen community awareness and collective action.Through simple materials, participatory learning, and strong collaboration with local authorities, the campaign is helping communities recognise digital harm and stand against it.The message from CHT is safety must include the digital world. When women and girls feel safe online, they can study, lead, and dream without fear. Ending digital violence is not only a campaign. It is a promise of dignity and a step toward equality for everyone.I was scared to talk about what happened to me online. Today I learned it was not my fault.

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08 March 2026

Justice that lets every woman and girl live free from fear

Op-ed by Stefan Liller, UN Resident Coordinator a.i. and UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh, Catherine Breen Kamkong, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh and Gitanjali Singh, UN Women Representative in Bangladesh.This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” is a call to overcome structural barriers that deny women and girls equal access to justice, such as unequal laws, weak enforcement, discriminatory practices and harmful social norms that undermine rights and perpetuate violence.Across the globe, democratic space is narrowing and hard-won gains for gender equality are under pressure. Women and girls continue to face legal and social systems that institutionalise inequality and restrict their access to protection and redress. In 2026, women worldwide enjoy only 64 per cent of the legal rights held by men (World Bank), leaving them disadvantaged in areas ranging from employment and financial security to safety, property ownership and mobility. Without meaningful access to justice, rights remain promises on paper rather than lived realities.In Bangladesh, the experience of survivors underscores the need to further reform protection systems. As one survivor of sexual violence shared: “When I went to seek redress, I felt like the system saw everything except my pain. I kept asking myself: if justice isn’t for women like me, then who is it for? I stayed quiet for years because I thought no one would believe me. Speaking up was the only way for me to survive, but the journey to justice has been harder than the violence itself.” Her words echo the lived realities of many women and girls.The 2024 National Violence Against Women Survey reveals that 54 per cent of women in Bangladesh have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, yet 64 per cent never told anyone. Silence is rarely a choice; it is often a survival strategy shaped by stigma, fear of retaliation, economic dependency and a lack of confidence in formal systems. When survivors do not see a clear, compassionate and effective path to justice, the system itself becomes another source of harm.Recent steps by the Government of Bangladesh to strengthen legal protections are both timely and necessary. New ordinances addressing domestic violence and sexual harassment in workplaces, educational institutions and online spaces, together with commitments to review the Child Marriage Restraint Act, signal a willingness to close systemic gaps. These measures reflect a life-cycle approach to protection, recognising that adolescent girls, young women, women in the home and workplace, women with disabilities, older women and transgender women face different and intersecting risks."Laws, however, only matter if they work for survivors. Justice must be visible, accessible and humane".Access to justice is inseparable from the realisation of women’s rights. Violence against women and girls is both a human rights violation and a public health crisis. Survivors require not only legal remedies but also confidential health services, psychosocial support and quality, survivor-centred case management. The integration of legal assistance with accessible health and social services is essential to ensure a multisectoral response that will enable women and girls to seek help safely and with dignity.Reformed legislation contributes to Bangladesh’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 5 and 16, as well as international frameworks such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and ILO Convention 190. These instruments, as well as the Commission on the Status of Women 70 platform, help close legal gaps by expanding definitions, extending protections across physical and digital spaces and acknowledging technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The Cyber Security Ordinance (2025) further strengthens efforts to address online abuse, which disproportionately affects women and girls.At the same time, legal reform must be comprehensive. Certain inequitable provisions within personal laws, dowry-related practices and aspects of rape legislation continue to undermine full equality before the law. Addressing these gaps with urgency and consultation is critical to building a coherent and rights-based legal framework.Laws, however, only matter if they work for survivors. Justice must be visible, accessible and humane. Internal complaint committees must be functional, independent and trusted. Reporting mechanisms must be safe and confidential. Police, health providers, social workers, legal aid services, employers and educational institutions must coordinate effectively to ensure timely referrals and survivor-centred support. Multi-sectoral response systems anchored in trained social service professionals and quality case management must be available to all survivors, regardless of age, marital status, disability, ethnicity, location or gender identity.Adequate financing is equally essential. Legal reforms without resources for implementation, monitoring and oversight risk remaining symbolic. Investment in training for law enforcement, judicial actors, health providers and social workers is critical to ensure that survivors are treated with respect and that cases are handled ethically and efficiently. Strengthened data systems, including those addressing technology-facilitated violence, are necessary to track progress, inform policy and hold institutions accountable. Supporting women’s movements and women’s rights organizations, which have long driven legal reform and accountability, is also needed. Preventing child marriage is also central to advancing justice. Child marriage remains both a driver and a consequence of gender inequality and gender-based violence, cutting short girls’ education, exposing them to early pregnancy, which increases their vulnerability to abuse, and closing the door to future opportunities. Ensuring that the Child Marriage Restraint Act is aligned with international human rights standards and effectively enforced will protect girls’ rights, health and futures.Public awareness and community engagement must accompany legal change. Women, girls and young people need accessible information about their rights and available services and the removal of all barriers to accessing these. Men and boys must be engaged as allies in challenging harmful norms and supporting equality. Community and religious leaders, sports champions, musicians and artists can be powerful in a movement to bring about this change for the women and girls of Bangladesh.
Above all, we must be clear: gender-based violence and child marriage are preventable. Strong laws are powerful instruments for shaping safer, more equal societies when enforced with commitment, care and accountability. Justice is about restoring dignity, rebuilding trust and ensuring that every woman and girl can live free from fear.The United Nations, including UNFPA and UN Women, stands firmly with the women and girls, men and boys of Bangladesh, calling for the conservation and extension of gains made and for translating commitments into action. Together, we can ensure equality in law and in practice, so that rights are realised not in theory but in the everyday lives of all women and girls across Bangladesh. The op-ed was originally published in The Daily Star. Click here to read.

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13 April 2026

A stronger start for newborns and new moms

As Cox’s Bazar was waking up one November morning, an auto-rickshaw sped towards the Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital. Inside, a mother had given birth on the way.Health workers rushed forward, guiding the exhausted mother and her newborn into the facility. One team took the mother to the labour ward. Another team carefully carried the tiny baby to the Special Care Newborn Unit (SCANU).The mother was 37-year-old Misnahar. Her son had been born far too early, weighing just 900 grams and immediately started showing respiratory issues. Inside the SCANU, nurses placed him on oxygen support, monitoring him closely. Tubes and wires surrounded his small body, with machines measuring every breath and heartbeat. For the first 24 hours, Misnahar could not hold her baby. She anxiously watched him through the glass wall surrounding the unit.“I could not stop crying,” says Misnahar. “The first 15 days were some of the most difficult days of my life.”One month laterToday, Misnahar’s baby weighs 1.5 kilograms. Still tiny but steadily growing stronger. She has named him Mir Mohammed Sarid.Each day, she has been learning how to care for him. Keeping him warm with kangaroo mother care, feeding him only breastmilk, burping him gently after every feed, washing her hands frequently to protect him from infection. Nurses showed her how to read Sarid’s cues. Doctors explained what signs to watch once they returned home. She followed every instruction carefully and that made a big difference. Sarid still needs regular follow-ups. His next screening will check for retinopathy – an eye condition that can affect premature babies, especially those on oxygen therapy. Misnahar knows that the road ahead will require patience. But her fear is slowly being overpowered by hope.“When my son grows up, I want him to become a doctor or a nurse,” says Misnahar. “The people here saved my baby’s life. Maybe one day he can save others.”
Sarid’s survival was possible because Misnahar reached the hospital just in time and specialized newborn care was available when he needed it the most.Bangladesh records 22 neonatal deaths for every 1,000 live births. This accounts for 67% of all under-five deaths, according to the recently released preliminary findings of MICS 2025. Newborn survival is therefore the top child health priority.Across the country, UNICEF and partners have supported the Government to establish Special Care Newborn Units in 62 public hospitals. These units are designed to treat low-birthweight and critically ill newborns like Sarid with life-saving care. The units are equipped with reliable medical oxygen, radiant warmers, phototherapy, resuscitators, and continuous monitoring.In Cox’s Bazar District Sadar hospital, a referral facility serving both host communities and over one million Rohingya refugees, the 65-bed SCANU is a lifeline.“The unit has transformed healthcare for newborns,” says Dr. Imtiaz, one of the medical officers in charge of the ward. “We can monitor babies closely and respond quickly when something changes.”The demand is high. Most days, all the beds are occupied by newborns. Doctors and nurses move steadily from one room to the next, checking vital signs, adjusting oxygen levels, and soothing restless babies.Outside the glass walls, parents wait, some praying silently, some pressing their hands against the window, searching for a glimpse of their child. Inside, the sound of beeping monitors, soft cries, and calm footsteps of health workers fills the room. Strengthening the systemThanks to the support from the World Bank, UNICEF has been able to train health workers, provide their salaries, upgrade services and renovate infrastructure, improve data systems and essential supplies – from diagnostic machines to clean drinking water system that ensure good health and safety in Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital.These investments help hospitals remain ready around the clock to deliver maternal and newborn care, immunization, nutrition counseling, and emergency services for both host communities and refugee populations.For families like Misnahar’s, these systems come together at the most critical moment – when a newborn needs immediate care for survival. For the doctors and nurses, each baby who leaves the hospital healthier and stronger is a reminder of why they do this work.“When a baby recovers and goes home healthy, we celebrate together,” says Dr. Imtiaz. “Those moments give us strength to keep going.”As for Misnahar, it means something simpler. A chance to watch her son grow and thrive.

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23 May 2026

From data to life-saving action: how Go.Data strengthened outbreak response in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

When disease outbreaks strike Cox’s Bazar, timely information can determine the extent of spread of infection and how quickly families receive care. For Rahima, a Community Health Volunteer in the Rohingya refugee camp, rapid data collection and sharing is critical. “If we arrive early enough, people trust the advice and will immediately seek care,” she said. “But when we arrive too late, the disease may have already progressed.”Cox’s Bazar is one of the world’s most densely populated humanitarian settings, hosting more than one million Rohingya refugees in overcrowded conditions with poor access to essential services. Outbreaks there have historically spread faster than paper-based surveillance can track. During the 2017 diphtheria outbreak, confirmed cases surged to 50 in a single week with further spikes in early 2018. At that time, investigations relied on paper records, which was slowing down contact tracing and considerably delaying the analysis needed to take the right measures for outbreak control. Without timely, actionable data, response teams were struggling to keep pace. Transitioning to near real-time outbreak investigationTo address these gaps, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and partners, introduced Go.Data in late 2019. Developed by the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), the Go.Data platform enables mobile case entry, automated outbreak indicators, and visualization of transmission chains. These features have enabled surveillance teams to detect clusters earlier and prioritize interventions in Cox’s Bazar, even in this challenging camp environment.“During the 2017 diphtheria outbreak, paper-based systems delayed response and limited coordination,” said Dr Abeed Hasan, National Health Officer for the International Organization for Migration (IOM). “Go.Data transformed outbreak investigation into a faster, data-driven operation,” he added.Deployed alongside WHO’s Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS), Go.Data strengthened outbreak investigation and contact tracing while complementing national reporting capacities. Combining information from both systems provided reliable, timely evidence to guide interventions across camps and host communities.Strengthening capacity and local ownershipTechnology alone cannot deliver results. From the outset of Go.Data’s deployment, WHO prioritized training of experts and promoted local ownership. As the platform was rolled out in 2019, 30 epidemiology and surveillance staff from IOM, Médecins Sans Frontières, Samaritan’s Purse, and other partners were trained, followed by 35 government and partner focal points. Training covered case investigation, contact tracing, and mapping transmission chains, even in low-connectivity areas. Follow-up trainings were conducted in 2021 and 2022, and a recent session in May 2025 targeted new Community Health Workers, ensuring that all staff were equipped to implement the tool effectively in the field.“Go.Data addressed critical gaps by digitizing outbreak investigation and enabling near real-time analysis that was previously impossible,” said Mong Kya Sing Marma, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer, FRIENDSHIP. Faster detection, better outcomesThe use of Go.Data has significantly improved clinical management and reduced mortality. Prior to its introduction, paper-based systems delayed case registration by up to three days, during which time transmission often continued unchecked. After mid-2019, earlier reporting and faster follow-up contributed to a decline in the number of deaths due to faster case detection, timely contact tracing, and prompt clinical intervention of diphtheria outbreak from 30 in 2017 and 14 in 2018 to only three in 2019, zero in 2020, five in 2021, and zero by 2024–2025. During the same time period, case registration and contact follow-up times also decreased to a maximum of 24 hours, enabling rapid intervention and saving more lives.During the COVID-19 response, Go.Data supported the Rapid Investigation and Response Teams in tracking cases and contacts. By 2 May 2021, 541 of 579 confirmed COVID-19 cases had been investigated, and 1990 contacts registered, of whom 1624 (82%) had completed follow-up. By August 2021, 2034, of 2475 confirmed cases had been investigated, and 4356 contacts identified, with 2677 (61%) completing follow-up. Some 248 contacts (9.2%) later tested positive.Supporting national preparedness prioritiesThe Cox’s Bazar experience demonstrates how digital tools can be used to support teams working in emergency situations to better monitor and control outbreaks. This initiative aligns with WHO’s priorities on emergency preparedness and response, surveillance strengthening, and health system resilience, while supporting national surveillance led by the Government of Bangladesh.“By combining digital tools, trained teams, and strong coordination, this experience demonstrated a scalable approach to strengthening outbreak preparedness in high-risk settings,” said Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO Representative in Bangladesh.Lessons for future health emergenciesGo.Data’s success has been increased by the adaptation to field realities and complementarity with existing systems, while delivering training and encouraging local ownership. Its offline functionality and standardized workflows made it an effective tool for epidemiological reporting even in low-resource, low-connectivity environments, while having pre-trained staff enables rapid activation when new threats emerge.Currently, Go.Data supports COVID-19 and diphtheria outbreak clusters, enabling rapid case detection, contact tracing, and timely interventions within the refugee camps. Building on these gains, preparations are underway to initiate active cholera reporting using Go.Data, strengthening early detection, enabling faster follow-up, and improving situational awareness for a disease that remains a recurrent risk in Cox’s Bazar, particularly during monsoon seasons.For more information about this publication, please get in touch with Terence Ngwabe Che, External Communication Officer, Cox’s Bazar Sub Office, WHO Bangladesh, at chet@who.int

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23 May 2026

Her Rights, Her Justice: Rohingya Women in Bangladesh Are Reclaiming Protection Through Action

When Yasmin* decided to seek help, she was not certain justice would be possible. What she knew was that the violence in her home could no longer be ignored.Yasmin, 26, lives in the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Years of displacement, economic hardship and entrenched gender norms had shaped her life. Tensions escalated when her husband demanded jewellery that belonged to her. When she refused, he assaulted her and, with the involvement of family members, took it by force.The violence left her injured and shaken. It also left her questioning whether anyone would stand beside her.She remembered a conversation with women outreach volunteers who regularly visited her block, speaking with families about services available for women facing violence. They had explained that confidential support was available at the Women and Girls Safe Space. The following day, Yasmin sought support at a Women and Girls Safe Space she had heard about through the outreach teams.The centre is implemented by the International Rescue Committee and supported technically and financially by UNFPA, with funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. At the safe space, Yasmin met Afia Jahin Shathi, a trained GBV caseworker who worked in the camps for six years. Afia had learned to speak the Rohingya language and underwent UNFPA-supported training in GBV case management, psychosocial care, referral pathways and the GBV Information Management System preparing her for the role of a case worker.“Many women first ask whether the violence they experience is normal,” Afia explains. “Our role is to ensure they understand their rights and that every decision is theirs.”Afia conducted a structured assessment to understand Yasmin’s medical, emotional and safety needs. With Yasmin’s consent, she referred her to a primary health care centre for medical treatment. No referral was made without her agreement. At each step, Afia explained available options, possible outcomes and potential risks.

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20 May 2026

Where Women Lead: Expanding Care and Opportunity Through the Komlaphul Pharmacy Initiative

Dhaka, Bangladesh - During her first pregnancy, Afroza had easier access to care. In her village, health facilities were nearby and routine check-ups felt manageable.Now three months into her second pregnancy, she lives in Mukti Songhoton, a densely populated settlement in Dhaka. Government hospitals are scarce, and long journeys feel daunting unless there is a serious complication.“I don’t usually go to the hospital,” she says. “If there is any problem, I take advice from the pharmacy.”For many women in low-income urban communities, pharmacies are the first, and sometimes only point of contact with the health system. Especially for pregnant women and new mothers, the neighborhood pharmacy can feel more accessible than a distant clinic.“If midwives or trained women are here,” Afroza adds, “it is much better for us.” Across Bangladesh, an estimated five million women who want to use modern contraception still face barriers to access. In underserved urban areas, women may hesitate to discuss sensitive sexual and reproductive health concerns with male providers behind crowded counters. Distance, time constraints and social norms can delay care-seeking.The Komolaphul Pharmacy initiative is helping to change that. Supported by UNFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and in partnership with City Bank, the initiative trains young women as professional pharmacy associates and places them in pharmacies to provide confidential sexual and reproductive health information, counselling and referrals.Implemented with partners including Jhpiego and the Bangladesh Chemists and Druggists Samity, the initiative strengthens pharmacies as safe entry points for maternity care guidance, voluntary family planning information and referral to appropriate services.Since its launch in September 2025, 120 female pharmacy associates have been trained and deployed across 108 pharmacies in five districts. In just three months, they helped dispense more than 162,000 pieces of condoms and over 53,000 cycles of contraceptive pills, alongside referrals for antenatal care, postnatal care, deliveries, injectables and long-acting reversible contraceptives. Beyond commodities, the associates offer something equally important - privacy, time and trust. Designated counselling corners within participating pharmacies create space for confidential conversations. Associates receive structured training in ethical standards, respectful communication and referral pathways to public and private facilities when more complex care is needed.A Komlaphul Pharmacy application supports the model by registering clients, tracking commodity availability and facilitating referrals. This strengthens continuity of care and links private retail pharmacies more effectively into the broader health system.For Nazimuddin Bablu, a pharmacy owner in Mukti Songhoton, the impact has been clear.“The training provided to the girls is excellent,” he says. “When pregnant women or women who have had miscarriages come, they explain services very well. This is a huge benefit for us.”Before joining the initiative, he had never employed a female pharmacy associate. “Female pharmacists are rare in Bangladesh,” he explains. “If more girls come into this profession, it will help women in the community.”The initiative addresses two challenges simultaneously. It expands access to timely and accurate health information in areas where formal facilities are limited. It also opens professional pathways for young women in a sector historically dominated by men.Komlaphul recruits young women from lower-income backgrounds and provides structured training, internships and ongoing mentorship. Its long-term vision extends beyond employment. Through pharmacy technician certification, associates are expected to establish and operate their own independent pharmacies, strengthening female entrepreneurship in the retail pharmacy sector. This pathway offers greater autonomy, increased income potential and the opportunity to directly improve healthcare access within their own communities.The initiative faced early hesitation in some conservative communities, where young women working in pharmacies were unfamiliar. Project teams engaged pharmacy owners, schoolteachers and community members in dialogue, demonstrating the professionalism and ethical standards upheld by participating pharmacies. Over time, trust grew.At the national level, the Directorate General of Health Services, the Directorate General of Family Planning, the Directorate General of Drug Administration and the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh provide technical oversight, review training materials and conduct monitoring visits, helping institutionalize quality standards. UNFPA works closely with government partners to integrate the model into operational planning frameworks, strengthening sustainability.The initiative is already attracting interest for expansion. A private sector partner has committed to supporting the training and deployment of an additional 120 associates in five new districts, reflecting growing recognition of the approach as both a public health solution and a viable business model. For Afroza, the change may appear simple. She has not yet visited a Komlaphul Pharmacy, but after attending a recent awareness session, she says she plans to.In communities where distance, cost and stigma keep women away from formal facilities, the presence of a trained female associate behind a pharmacy counter can make the difference between silence and informed choice. Sometimes, strengthening a health system does not begin in a hospital. It can begin at a neighborhood pharmacy, where a woman feels comfortable enough to speak, and another woman is ready to lead.

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20 May 2026

A Preventable Tragedy: How One Woman Survived Fistula and Is Now Changing Her Community

"We spent the first three years of our marriage without a child. Then I gave birth to four daughters in consecutive years. My husband and I still hoped for a son. That hope led me to become pregnant for the fifth time. Everything seemed normal until a sudden tragedy changed my life forever," said 32-year-old Shamsunnahar from Tahirpur, Sunamganj.Shamsunnahar Begum lives in a remote village surrounded by water bodies near “Tanguar Haor”. She left school after the third grade and was married at just 16 to Ashraful, a local farmer."My life has been a story of endless struggle," she recalled. "When we had no children in the first three years, I had to endure harsh treatment from family members and neighbours, asking why I wasn't conceiving. When I had daughters, I was taunted again. Seeing one girl after another, everyone would say, "It's only girls!" Shamsunnahar said."The burden of my grief grew heavier when it was discovered that my two youngest daughters had a disability,” she continued. “I felt like I was losing my mind. Only the Almighty and I know the bone-breaking labour it took to manage so many children, including two with special needs."Her voice trembled as she spoke of the agonizing memory of her fifth pregnancy. "What happened next was even more tragic. My fifth child was a boy, and we were so happy and waiting for his birth. But he was stillborn. Before I could even process that grief, I realized my body was no longer under my control. I only remembered being in labour for a very long time and waiting helplessly before the baby was finally delivered. A few days later, I noticed that I was leaking urine uncontrollably. My clothes would be completely soaked, and a foul odour emanated from me. During that difficult time, my loved ones began to distance themselves one by one. Only my daughters stayed by my side."Like her previous births, Shamsunnahar initially attempted to deliver at home. She waited for two days in hopes of a normal delivery. However, her condition gradually turned critical. Due to the extremely poor communication system in the haor area and the lack of a nearby advanced hospital, it took more than three hours to reach Sunamganj Sadar Hospital. By then, it was too late. The baby had already died in the womb. Across various remote regions of Bangladesh, including Sunamganj, hundreds of women and adolescent girls still suffer from painful conditions like obstetric fistula caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without medical care. Child marriage, poverty, limited awareness and lack of access to skilled birth attendants all contribute to this suffering. Seven days after returning home, Shamsunnahar faced a terrifying new problem: uncontrolled urinary leakage. Despite local treatment funded by villagers' donations, her condition did not improve for nearly a year.Through her mother-in-law, Shamsunnahar connected with a healthcare provider under the Government of Bangladesh’s National Programme to End Obstetric Fistula. This initiative is supported by UNFPA, implemented by the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), and funded by Global Affairs Canada and the Government of Sweden. She received counselling, and was referred for diagnosis at the district hospital where doctors confirmed obstetric fistula. She was later sent to a specialized hospital at Dhaka where she underwent successful surgery."I suffered immensely from this disease. But today, I am healthy again, and joy has returned to my family," Shamsunnahar said.Her husband, Ashraful, now stands firmly by her side. Having lost his mother as a child, he said: "I was always afraid of losing her. Now my children have found their mother again and this is my peace." With support from the programme, the family received social protection assistance. Disability allowance cards were secured for her two daughters, easing their daily care. Shamsunnahar herself received a Vulnerable Group Feeding card as part of the rehabilitation support.Beyond temporary relief, effective steps were taken to make her permanently self-reliant. Shamsunnahar received a sewing machine, and with the income from her tailoring and her husband’s auto-rickshaw driving, the family has finally found solvency. By earning with confidence, she has restored dignity and peace to her household.Shamsunnahar is a champion for maternal health. She goes door-to-door in her village advising mothers not to take the risk of home delivery. Through her efforts, 12 other fistula patients in her area have accessed treatment.Timely treatment and social support can prevent and cure even a devastating condition like fistula that Shamsunnahar suffered from. Today, she balances her household by sewing and working as a laborer, and raising her four daughters. Despite the odds, she continues the education of two daughters. She dreams of a future where no woman suffers from such a tragic condition. She remains committed to working as a fistula advocate, raising awareness in communities about the importance of timely, quality maternal health care at health facilities and delivery assisted by skilled midwives, as part of the journey to end fistula in Bangladesh.

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18 May 2026

Post-Eid Cleanup Drive Highlights Plastic Pollution Crisis in Cox’s Bazar

Just days after the Eid holidays brought a surge of visitors to Cox’s Bazar, the beach witnessed a different kind of gathering. One driven not by leisure, but by purpose.With an estimated 3.5 lakh tourists visiting during the three days following Eid-ul-Fitr 2026, the world’s longest sea beach once again faced a familiar challenge: rising volumes of waste, much of it plastic, left behind on the shore. Studies continue to highlight the growing scale of this issue, including recent findings that show significantly higher concentrations of plastic particles in tourist-heavy areas, reinforcing the urgency for sustained action.Responding to this need, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Cox’s Bazar District Administration, Cox’s Bazar Municipality, Tourist Police, Beach Management Committee, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), and other local partners and with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, launched the Post-Eid Festival Beach Clean-Up Activation Campaign 2026 under the Plastics Circularity Project. The campaign was formally inaugurated on 24 March 2026 at Sugandha Beach Point and ran until 26 March, covering key tourist hotspots including Sugandha, Laboni, and Kolatoli beaches. Blending environmental action with awareness, the initiative featured clean-up drives, awareness rallies, direct engagement with tourists and businesses, and installation of waste bins at key entry points. At its core, the campaign carried a simple but powerful message: waste belongs in the bin, not on the beach. Speaking at the inauguration, Md. A Mannan, Deputy Commissioner, Cox’s Bazar said, “Cox’s Bazar is one of the country’s most valuable natural and economic assets. Keeping this beach clean, safe and welcoming requires collective action. This campaign shows how public institutions, development partners and local communities can work together for responsible tourism and better waste management.”Md. Shamim Al Imran, Administrator, Cox’s Bazar Municipality, added, “For a tourism city like Cox’s Bazar, cleanliness is essential. This initiative is important not only because it helps clean the beach after Eid, but because it reminds all of us that waste must be disposed of in the right place.”Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP, Sarder M Asaduzzaman noted, “Through the Plastics Circularity Project, we are working with local authorities, private sector partners and communities to improve collection, recycling and responsible disposal. This campaign shows how strong local partnership can turn awareness into action.”Over the three days, the campaign mobilised youth volunteers and waste workers, removing 173 bags of waste, over 1.1 tons, from the beach. More than 3,500 individuals, including tourists, families, vendors and local workers, directly participated in clean-up and awareness activities. Through miking, conversations, Q&A sessions and visual messaging, the campaign reached an estimated 20,000 visitors daily. One tourist reflected, “We need to put garbage in dustbins to protect our environment. This is Bangladesh, and it belongs to all of us. Taking care of it is our responsibility.” Beyond immediate clean-up, the initiative also focused on longer-term impact. Thirty waste bins were installed and handed over to the Tourist Police, while collected plastic waste was channeled to local recyclers with proper documentation.The campaign is part of the Plastics Circularity Project, a three-year initiative implemented by UNDP Bangladesh with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. Operating in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Tangail, the project aims to strengthen plastic waste management systems, increase recycling, and reduce plastic leakage into the environment. It targets the collection of 15,000 tons of plastic waste and supports 2,000 direct beneficiaries through partnerships with local government, private sector actors, and waste workers.

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Press Release

31 May 2026

UN80 Initiative: New report warns status quo is “untenable” as reforms enter decisive phase

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today issued a progress report on the UN80 Initiative, outlining reforms underway across the UN system and urging strong Member States’ engagement to move the process forward.“The status quo is untenable,” he warns, arguing that the choice is between planned reform, led by Member States, or externally imposed, crisis-driven change. The report places the Initiative in a new “decisive phase”. It shows where UN80 has generated movement, and how reform proposals are advancing along their decision pathways. It distinguishes issues that are ready, or nearly ready, for decision-making from those requiring further design and consultation. It also makes clear where political support and decisions are now needed to carry reform all the way. Progress Across the Initiative The report describes key reforms already underway to strengthen impact, reduce fragmentation and duplication across the UN system, while recognizing that progress is advancing at different speeds. Key developments include: • The adoption of General Assembly resolution 80/251, establishing a new basis for mandate discipline and strengthening how UN system mandates are created, implemented and reviewed;• Changes to the Secretariat’s operating model, including a 21 per cent reduction in staff positions in 2026, new common administrative platforms and the relocation of about 230 posts from high to lower-cost locations, as part of about 2,300 positions UN system-wide; • New delivery models, including integrated supply chains under the New Humanitarian Compact, now being piloted in Afghanistan, Haiti, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia and Sudan, alongside the empowerment of Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators working in crisis settings; • A forthcoming peace operations review, expected in June, which will present recommendations to adapt the UN’s toolbox and create a more flexible peace operations architecture fit for today’s challenges; • Reconfiguring UN country teams, resetting regional arrangements, and improving access to support for countries via an Expertise-on-Demand Mechanism and Joint Knowledge Hubs to accelerate the delivery of Sustainable Development Goals; • The establishment of the Human Rights Group to better coordinate human rights work across the UN system; • Work to strengthen shared services, technology and data capacities across the UN system, including a new Unified Services Roadmap for all administrative services, a UN System Data Commons, and Technology Accelerator Platform to better connect these critical enablers of delivery.• Other structural proposals, including assessments of potential mergers involving UN system entities. Shared Responsibilities for the Next Phase Member States will help shape the next phase of the Initiative. “From now on, Member States will craft the key outcomes of UN80,” the Secretary-General writes, noting that many of the proposals will move through established intergovernmental processes in line with the UN Charter, existing mandates and applicable rules and procedures. The Secretary-General sets out six priorities to move the initiative from reform design to delivery. He urged governments to use resolution 80/251 as a practical governance instrument; provide clear direction on country and regional reform; back shared services, technology and data as system-wide enablers; assess structural proposals on their merits, align funding practices with coherent delivery; and exercise governance consistently across the UN system. Inaction, Guterres warns, would be “a mistake and a failure of responsibility,” adding that the political and technical investment made since March 2025 now needs to be taken to its most impactful conclusion. “The opportunities carefully constructed over the past year could slip away and the moment could be lost”, he cautions. “Our shared responsibility is to make sure that does not happen.” Media Contacts UN80 Secretariat un80contact@un.org

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Press Release

30 May 2026

UN Headquarters Observes International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on 5 June

UN Secretary-General to honour fallen peacekeepers, including six from Bangladesh, and highlight the urgent need to invest in peaceThe International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers will be observed around the world to pay tribute to all women and men serving in UN peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The UN Headquarters will observe the Day on Friday, 5 June. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath to honour the nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 68 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, including 59 who perished last year. Among the peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal are six from Bangladesh: Pvt Md Jahangir Alam; Pvt Md Sobuj Mia; Cpl Md Masud Rana; Pvt Md Mominul Islam; Pvt Shamim Reza; and Pvt Santo Mondol who were all killed in a drone strike on 13 December 2025 while serving in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Today, more than 50,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers serve under the UN flag in some of the world’s most complex environments, where conflicts are increasingly fragmented, protracted, and shaped by emerging threats, including the misuse of digital tools and the spread of harmful information. A total of 118 countries currently contribute uniformed personnel to 11 peacekeeping missions.

Bangladesh is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently deploys more than 4,000 military and police personnel – including 277 women -- to the UN operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.The General Assembly established the Day back in 2002 and selected May 29 as it was the day in 1948 when the Security Council established the first UN Peacekeeping operation, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East. This year’s theme for the Day is “Invest in Peace.” At a time when UN Peacekeeping operations face reduced resources, the theme underscores that peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools the international community has to respond to conflict—supporting political solutions, preventing escalation, protecting civilians, monitoring ceasefires, enabling humanitarian assistance, clearing landmines, and more.

In his message, Secretary-General António Guterres said: “On this International Day, we honour peacekeepers past and present and reaffirm our shared responsibility to respect and strengthen their work. We pay tribute to nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948, including 59 last year. No one should die serving the cause of peace. Attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law, and Member States must uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times.” He further stated that “in an era of rising tensions, peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective way to restore stability and hope. But it requires steady political backing – and reliable financial support.” During a special ceremony, the Secretary-General will also award the “Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage” to Corporal Matias Reyes of Uruguay for his actions in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo during the height of the crisis in early 2025, and to the late Sergii Prykodko of Ukraine who served as a private contractor in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was killed during a mission to extract besieged soldiers in March last year. The Secretary-General will also present awards to the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who serves in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and to the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year, Stephanie Königs of Germany, who served in UNMISS. “At a time of rising conflict and shrinking resources, United Nations peacekeepers continue to protect civilians, prevent violence from escalating, and keep hope alive in some of the world’s most difficult environments. Investing in peacekeeping means investing in stability, prevention and the possibility of peace itself,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. Schedule of events at UN Headquarters on 5 June + 09:45 a.m.: The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of fallen peacekeepers at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site on the North Lawn. (If there is inclement weather, the ceremony will be held near the Chagall window in the Visitors’ Lobby). While UN Photo and UN TV will cover the ceremony, members of the UN press corps are invited. It will not be webcast live, but will be available on demand shortly afterwards: https://webtv.un.org/en (update closer to date) + 10:00 a.m.:  The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, UN Woman Police Officer of the Year and UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year ceremonies will be held in the ECOSOC Council Chamber and shown live on UN Webcast: https://webtv.un.org+12:00 p.m.: Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix will be the guest at the noon briefing. It will be webcast live on https://webtv.un.org/en ******Media contacts: Department of Global Communications - Doug Coffman - coffmand@un.org +1 917 361 9923 Department of Peace Operations - Sophie Boudre boudre@un.org +1 917 691 5359

For more information, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day

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Press Release

20 May 2026

UN and partners appeal for USD 710.5 million to meet the critical needs of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities

The United Nations and its partners, in close coordination with the Government of Bangladesh, call for renewed international support — appealing for USD 710.5 million to meet the most critical needs of Rohingya refugees in the Cox’s Bazar camps and on Bhasan Char, as well as local host communities. The call comes amid growing global instability and rising humanitarian pressures, which have forced difficult prioritization and threatened essential services for vulnerable populations. Sustained international assistance remains crucial to bolstering Bangladesh’s response as it continues to generously host refugees until a durable solution is achieved. Nearly a decade after fleeing targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar, some 1.2 million Rohingya refugees now reside in Bangladesh. Needs continue to rise as conflict in Myanmar forces more people to flee. Since early 2024, some 150,000 Rohingya have newly arrived, straining limited humanitarian resources and intensifying pressure on overcrowded camps. The scaled-down, hyper-prioritized 2026 update of the Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis will reach up to 1.56 million people, including refugees and Bangladeshi host communities.The USD 710.5 million appeal—26% lower than in 2025— covers only the minimum required to sustain lifesaving assistance. It includes USD 247.3 million for food, USD 128 million for shelter, USD 61.2 million for water, sanitation and hygiene, USD 52.7 million for education, USD 49.9 million for health, and USD 35.1 million for livelihoods and skills development. It also includes USD 36.2 million, across all sectors, in support for host communities affected by the crisis.From 2017 to the end of 2025, the international community has contributed nearly USD 5.42 billion in humanitarian funding to the Rohingya response – with the United States remaining the largest donor – allowing Bangladesh to sustain lifesaving assistance and making possible major progress in refugee education, health and protection. However, significant humanitarian needs persist and, without continued international solidarity, Rohingya families risk losing precious gains.“As resources become more limited, it is more important than ever to help refugees build skills and resilience, so they can gain independence, hold on to hope, and rebuild their lives,” said Kelly T. Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.“Until the Rohingya can return home in safety and can rebuild their communities there, we must continue to provide safety, care, and dignity where they are. The humanitarian community is working hard to deliver this support as efficiently as possible as we continue to see resources decline. But the needs remain enormous, and efficiencies alone cannot offset the very real impacts of funding cuts on the Rohingya people and the impact on their host communities. Helping the refugee community become more self-reliant remains a crucial goal.”“Bangladesh has shown extraordinary generosity in hosting this highly vulnerable population, and we are deeply grateful to our donors who have continued to stay the course. Their sustained support remains a lifeline for refugees,” said Rania Dagash-Kamara, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation at the UN World Food Programme. “WFP continues to adapt its operations to ensure assistance is delivered equitably, efficiently and effectively, based on real and evolving needs in the camps. But humanitarian assistance is not the end goal. Rohingya refugees want to return home to Myanmar when they can do so safely, voluntarily, and with dignity. We must continue to help create these conditions; we cannot let this crisis be forgotten.”“The needs of Rohingya refugees, especially women and girls, remain immense, and the impact of funding cuts is already being felt across every aspect of daily life in the camps,” said Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination and Programme Results. “Within the broader challenges of displacement, women and girls face even more risks and barriers that require sustained attention. A gender-responsive, women-centred, comprehensive, and well-resourced response that addresses the overall needs of the refugee population, while recognizing the urgent need for safety, dignity, inclusion, and protection from gender-based violence, is essential to building resilience across the entire community.”Amid sharp reductions in humanitarian funding and declining development support, Rohingya refugees remain largely reliant on aid. In 2025, some 35% of camp households relied fully on humanitarian food assistance, 42% had access to temporary and unstable income sources, and only 23% earned income through cash-for-work-based humanitarian activities. Limited economic opportunities and reduced assistance continue to heavily impact Rohingya households—a situation exacerbated for new arrivals and vulnerable groups, including women and girls, persons with disabilities, and older people. As conflict inside Rakhine State continues, hopes for an imminent return to Myanmar are fading. As conditions worsen, more refugees resort to desperate choices, including dangerous and often deadly sea journeys in search of opportunities elsewhere in the region. 2025 was the deadliest year on record for such voyages—just last month, a vessel carrying more than 270 people, many of them refugees, capsized, leaving only nine survivors. Against this backdrop of increasing and overlapping pressures, the appeal focuses assistance on the most critical humanitarian needs. Support must be strategically prioritized across a growing refugee population, and investment in refugee resilience and self-reliance is crucial to preserving dignity and hope and reducing long-term dependence on aid.The 2026 JRP update was presented at the UN House in Dhaka by Kelly T. Clements of UNHCR; Rania Dagash-Kamara of WFP; Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of UN Women; H.E. M. Forhadul Islam, Acting Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh and Secretary for Intergovernmental Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Carol Flore-Smereczniak, United Nations Resident Coordinator a.i.The appeal is supported by 98 humanitarian partners, including 52 Bangladeshi organizations. The appeal followed a four-day joint high-level donor mission, led by Kelly T. Clements and Rania Dagash-Kamara, which brought together a group of key international donor representatives. The mission included a two-day visit to Rohingya camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar, with participation from key partners: Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.The delegation also engaged with the Government, UN and NGO partners, as well as the broader donor community, in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka. The humanitarian community reiterates that the most desirable and durable solution to the Rohingya crisis is the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of refugees to Myanmar. Until conditions in Myanmar are conducive, continued international solidarity and support remain essential—not only as a humanitarian imperative, but also to uphold human rights, preserve regional stability, and ensure that refugees and their host communities are not abandoned.FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: UNHCR: Shari Nijman, Communications Officer nijman@unhcr.org | +880 1894 802 700 UNHCR: Mosharaf Hossain, Communications Associate; hossaimi@unhcr.org | +880 1956475430 WFP: Kun Li, Head of Partnerships, Communication and Reports; kun@wfp.org | +880 1322846137

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Press Release

04 May 2026

Protecting 45 000 Rohingya lives ahead of life-threatening landslides

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Bangladesh received USD 584369 from the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund to deliver urgent, life-saving slope stabilization and community preparedness interventions to help vulnerable Rohingya households mitigate the life-threatening risks of landslides and safeguard shelters ahead of the imminent monsoon season. The funding will enable FAO to stabilize approximately 170 hectares of high-risk slopes across 85 sites in 15 Rohingya refugee camps within Ukhia and Teknaf. Key activities include planting deep-rooted native vegetation, applying bioengineering techniques such as bamboo crib walls and contour trenching, and providing emergency Cash-for-Work (CfW) opportunities to 800 direct beneficiaries. These interventions will directly reduce the immediate risk of deadly landslides, protecting more than 45000 Rohingya refugees living in high-risk areas by safeguarding shelters, evacuation routes, and access to essential services during the monsoon season.Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, stated, “In Cox’s Bazar, fragile and deforested slopes combined with extreme monsoon rainfall are increasing the risk of life-threatening landslides putting thousands of vulnerable people and shelters at immediate risk. Sustainable, cost-effective prevention measures are urgently needed to avert avoidable loss of life and secondary displacement. I am grateful to the Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund as this support will fill a critical gap of the 2025–2026 Hyper-prioritized Rohingya Joint Response Plan (JRP), where slope stabilization is prioritized as a high-impact, life-saving intervention in the most vulnerable camps.”He added, “Nature-based solutions are highly cost-efficient, delivering between USD 7 and USD 30 in returns for every USD 1 invested, while simultaneously reducing disaster risks and generating life-saving income.” FAO is uniquely positioned to deliver this critical support building on its strong technical expertise in nature-based bioengineering, with a strong operational presence in Cox's Bazar. Through the Safe Access to Fuel and Energy Plus (SAFE+) programme, FAO has already stabilized more than 3,500 hectares of degraded slopes since 2018. In humanitarian emergencies, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) support is life-saving. By utilizing nature-based soil binding and erosion control techniques, FAO ensures that assistance translates rapidly into physical safety for families living on the front lines of climate vulnerability.FAO maintains a strong field presence in Cox's Bazar since the Rohingya influx in 2017, working within the Rohingya Coordination Platform (RCP) to ensure interventions are aligned with site management, shelter, and protection responses and reach communities most exposed to hazards. The project activities will be delivered through local community structures including majhis (community leader), imams (Muslim spiritual leader), and youth networks to build long-term ownership and self-reliance.The Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund enables rapid and flexible financing for the most urgent life-saving priorities. In Bangladesh, this timely support allows partners like FAO to act before predictable hazards such as landslides claim lives or caused secondary displacement.As climate-induced hazards and acute food insecurity rise globally, FAO is scaling up nature-based slope stabilization and bioengineering to protect vulnerable communities and safeguard their livelihoods. FAO’s 2026 Global Emergency and Resilience Appeal seeks USD 2.5 billion to support over 100 million people in 54 countries. By investing in ecosystem-based early action, FAO helps reduce future humanitarian needs and costs. This new contribution from Bangladesh Humanitarian Fund underscores the importance of timely, flexible humanitarian funding in saving lives and livelihoods, and highlights the critical role of nature-based solutions as an effective frontline response to climate-driven emergencies. For media inquiries and further information:Naila Fahmin Rasha, Communication Specialist, Email: naila.rasha@fao.orgMohammad Abid Azad Shuvo, Communication Specialist, Email: mohammad.shuvo@fao.org About FAO Bangladesh:The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been a strategic partner of the Government of Bangladesh since 1973, working to transform the nation’s food and agricultural sectors. A core priority of FAO’s 2022–2026 Country Programming Framework is fostering climate resilience through nature-based, sustainable development. For more information, please visit our Facebook, website, and FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

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Press Release

08 April 2026

Bangladesh Launches International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 to close the gender gaps in Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture officially launched the national activities for the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 (IYWF 2026) during the Interagency Coordination Committee (IACC) meeting held at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) on 5th April 2026.Led by the Ministry of Agriculture, the initiative brought together key partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) along with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), UN Women and other relevant stakeholders. The launch reflects a shared commitment to elevating women farmers as leaders in food security, climate resilience, and agricultural transformation across Bangladesh.The event was officially inaugurated by Honorable Rafiqul I Mohamed, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Chair of the IACC, along with Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh and IACC Co-Chair. The ceremony marked the commencement of year-long activities aimed at raising awareness, empowering, and investing in women farmers while strengthening their leadership in building resilient and food-secure communities.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to raise awareness and promote action to close the gender gaps and improve farming, women’s access to resources and services, and support women’s leadership in agrifood systems, recognizing their critical contributions to sustainable agriculture and food systems transformation. The global observance underscores the need for inclusive policies, equitable access to resources, and stronger recognition of women farmers’ roles. In addition to the Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and the FAO Representative; the event was attended by representatives from key ministries including Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Food, UN agencies including IFAD, UNDP, UN Women, WFP; development partners, representatives from diplomatic communities and international partners including the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, United States Department of Agriculture, Asian Development Bank, International Rice Research Institute, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), civil society organizations, leaders from farmers associations like Sara Bangla Krishak Society.Speaking at the event, Rafiqul I Mohamed,Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, stated:“This is not just a year of celebration; it is a year of action. It is a call to acknowledge, invest in, and stand beside the millions of women who feed our nation every day. It is also an opportunity to inspire the next generation of young women to see agriculture not just as labour, but as a pathway to entrepreneurship, dignity, and leadership.”He added, “Let us work together government, United Nations agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, and communities to make 2026 a transformative year for women farmers in Bangladesh.” In his remarks, Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, reaffirmed FAO’s commitment:“FAO, together with the other UN’s Rome-Based Agencies,IFAD and WFP and our valued development partners, stands fully ready to support the Government of Bangladesh in making this International Year meaningful and impactful. FAO will be implementing innovative initiatives like women led green micro-enterprise incubator” and will galvanize strong investment programs that will empower smallholder women farmers for lasting benefits to rural communities.”Rita Bramma, President of the Sara Bangla Krishak Society, (a leading farmer’s organization in Bangladesh), welcomed the initiatives and commitments by various organizations. She said, “The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 initiatives will support women like me through better access to investment, skills, and opportunities, helping us build stronger, more resilient farming communities.”FAO Bangladesh will continue working alongside the Government and relevant stakeholders to build a resilient and more inclusive agricultural future, guided by FAO’s vision of the Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life,leaving no one behind. As part of its support, FAO outlined several key initiatives under IYWF 2026:Pilot “GreenRoots Farm Lab for Farming Women” in the southern region, aimed at greening women-led micro-enterprises with potential for future scale-up.Agricultural Women Investment Forum aligned with the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative.“Farming Women Conference (Nari Krishak Shommilon)” in the northern region, in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Department of Fisheries (DoF), and development partners, under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. The launch of IYWF 2026 marks a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s efforts to recognize and strengthen the role of women farmers, ensuring their contributions are central to achieving sustainable development goals and national food security. For media inquiries and further information:Naila Fahmin RashaCommunication Specialistnaila.rasha@fao.org About FAO Bangladesh:https://www.facebook.com/FAOBangladeshhttps://www.fao.org/bangladesh/en/FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacifichttp://www.fao.org/asiapacific

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