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
