Our Work

The United States has long shared a strong friendship with Bangladesh since the country’s independence. It is a partnership driven by common interests that also recognized Bangladesh as a key U.S. strategic partner in South Asia. USAID’s Bangladesh portfolio is one of the largest in Asia, with some of the world’s most important food security, Food for Peace, and non-HIV health programs, along with strategically important democracy and governance, basic education, and environment activities. USAID also oversees a large humanitarian assistance portfolio in Bangladesh in response to the Rohingya crisis. As a long-standing partner, USAID remains committed to supporting Bangladesh on its journey to becoming an upper middle-income country by 2031.

Our Work

With over 165 million people living in an area the size of Iowa, Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated and environmentally vulnerable countries in the world. In response to a humanitarian crisis in 2017, Bangladesh opened its borders to nearly one million Rohingya refugees from Burma, magnifying Bangladesh’s own development challenges. Bolstering Bangladesh’s commitment to development, USAID programs focus on food security, environmental resilience, democracy and governance, health, education, and humanitarian assistance.

Agriculture and Food Security 

USAID increases the availability and access to diversified nutritious foods, improves the sustainable productivity of targeted value chains through climate smart agriculture in 23 districts of southern Bangladesh, and enhances private sector competitiveness through a market systems approach. Digital agriculture and private sector engagement are used to promote economic growth, good corporate practices, and supply chain development that benefits poor smallholder farmers and small and medium enterprises. In addition, USAID improves food policy in Bangladesh through research, monitoring, training, and coordination with Bangladeshi stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, media, academia and financial institutions.

Democracy and Governance

Good governance and accountability are critical for economic growth, health, education, and high-quality public services. USAID democracy and governance activities focus on enhancing citizen confidence in government by strengthening democratic processes and civil society, increasing access to justice, protecting human rights, supporting a culture of tolerance, and providing development opportunities for women, youth, and the marginalized. The activities integrate participation, inclusion, transparency, and accountability to support citizen responsive governance.

Health

Bangladesh’s sustained development progress is challenged by high mortality rates among women and children, the continued spread of tuberculosis, high prevalence of malnutrition, and weak health systems. To address these challenges, USAID works to strengthen resilient health systems to improve maternal and child health, expand family planning and reproductive health, reduce the burden of tuberculosis, and prevent and treat malnutrition. USAID supports every aspect of the COVID-19 response in Bangladesh including testing, treatment, contact tracing, community education, and vaccinations.

Environment, Energy and Climate Resilience

The majority of Bangladeshis rely on the country’s natural resources to supplement their livelihoods, placing tremendous strain on heavily degraded ecosystems and its biodiversity. Frequent natural disasters significantly diminished ecological health, and ever-increasing energy demand are key challenges facing Bangladesh as it transitions to a middle-income country. USAID works with the Bangladeshi government and the private sector to enhance the country’s energy security and resilience, improve trade and business enabling environments to build the resilience of individuals, communities, institutions, and the economy to the impacts of natural hazards and changing climatic conditions.

Education

USAID increases access and improves quality at pre-primary, primary and higher secondary education levels with an emphasis on education system strengthening. USAID’s integrated youth programming empowers Bangladesh’s youth to advance their own economic, civic and social development enhancing their resilience to shocks and stressors.

Rohingya Emergency Response        

Since August 2017, nearly one million Rohingya refugees have fled violence in Burma’s Rakhine State to Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. USAID provides basic life-saving assistance, including food assistance and urgent nutrition services to those most vulnerable, and assists vulnerable host communities through primary health services, reading education, and the construction of multi-purpose cyclone shelters.

Disaster Risk Reduction     

USAID supports disaster risk reduction activities by building institutional capacity, coordination and infrastructure required to prepare, respond, and reduce risks related to natural disasters like cyclones, floods and other environmental shocks.

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