Bangladesh
Bangladesh is one of the poorest and most densely populated countries of the world, with a population of approximately 144 million.
It is also one of the countries most prone to natural disasters, notably devastating annual floods and frequent typhoons that account for hundreds of thousands of deaths and billions of pounds of crop and property damage. The country is largely surrounded by India and is crossed by three major rivers and their tributaries, which has a significant effect on the landscape, creating high soil fertility, favourable for agriculture.
Most Bangladeshi’s earn their living from rice and jute farming, and garment production also increased through the 1990’s. Basic education facilities now exist in most regions of the country since 1992, when compulsory primary education was introduced. However the supply of teachers, basic materials, and other technical resources is still limited.
Many families live on marginal lands in structures that are unsafe. The most serious problems families face are that of unsafe water and a lack of sanitary facilities. Nearly 80% of all preventable illnesses in Bangladesh are due to water-related diseases. Severe malnutrition is common.
Some of the reasons why Plan works in Bangladesh
- Eight in every 100 children die before reaching the age of five
- Half of all children under five years old are underweight due to malnutrition
- 3.3 million children are working in Bangladesh, many in hazardous occupations
- Half the population does not have access to adequate sanitation facilities
- A quarter of the population does not have access to an adequate water source
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Saving for disaster
The collective power of children’s voices is being positively felt in Uttar Parulia, one of six villages lying in a disaster-prone area of northern Bangladesh |
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After Cyclone Sidr - Plan's response
A Plan staff member gives a personal account of his visit to see how Plan is helping children in Bangladesh return to education and a normal life following the devastating cyclone |
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Floods affect 20 million in Bangladesh
Floodwater in 32 districts of Bangladesh has receded significantly, but problems for the population persists as thousands become affected by water-borne diseases, and farmers face the challenges of future crop production |
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Mark Simmonds MP visits Bangladesh
Mark Simmonds, the Shadow Minister for International Development, travelled to Bangladesh in February 2007 to learn more about the country and to visit Plan projects which are improving the lives of children in deprived areas |
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My success: Bilkis's story
A teenage girl living in Bangladesh tells how she overcame family expectations of early marriage in order to continue her education and reach her full potential |
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Tsunami 24 months after
Plan, as part of a major disaster-response programme in the areas affected by the tsunami, has moved beyond humanitarian relief to focus on long-haul efforts to rebuild shattered communities |
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Support street children in Dhaka, Bangladesh
There are 350,000 street children living in Dhaka. Many were abandoned by their parents. Some are orphans. Others have been sent to the city from neighbouring villages to earn money for their families. Plan is working to improve these children's futures |
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