The economy of Bangladesh has steadily grown over the last two decades. However, utilising the potentials of youth population remains a big challenge. The country, being at the middle of the period of demographic transition, is yet to reap the benefits of its demographic profile.

The first ever ‘Water Museum’ in Asia is located in Bangladesh’s coastal district Patuakhali. ‘Water Museum’ may sound too futuristic for 2014. Has water become so scarce that we have to preserve it in a museum? Let’s find out.

This Civil Society Response to the Climate Budget Report is a co-production of ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB), the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), Action on Climate Today (ACT) and a wide range of civil society participants who attended a series of climate budget workshops. ActionAid is a global justice federation working to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication with over 15 million people in 45 countries across the globe. ActionAid started its operations in Bangladesh in 1983. As a member of the Federation, AAB works to achieve its mission and vision in four major areas: women’s rights and gender equity; resilience and climate justice; democratic governance; and young people.

The chair opened the session with a question for the audience regarding the connection between fashion industry and sustainable consumption and production. With many opinions centered around pollution, toxic effluent, waste management from the audience, the chair concluded that the Fashion Industry can play a critical role in attaining the Sustainable Development Goal 12. A presentation at the session by the keynote speaker revealed that Fashion Industry is contributing to global water waste by 20%, while apparel industry emits 10% of global carbon emission. With more than 4500+ garment factories currently operating in Bangladesh, Dhaka’s tanneries alone discharge nearly 22,000 cubic liters of toxic effluent daily into the Buriganga River.

South Asia has been affected by a number of disasters in recent years—natural, economic and conflict-related—drawing attention to the region’s vulnerability and pushing disaster risk reduction (DRR) and resilience up development and policymaking agendas. The role of women in DRR and building resilient communities has received less attention than it deserves

Women constitute 69 percent of agricultural labour force of Bangladesh. The total number of women involved in agricultural work, if broken down, would be about 74% women engaged in raising cattle, 63% women preserve local seeds, 40% women produce vegetables and crops. Women are producing agricultural products besides their household chores. Unfortunately, they are not adequately acknowledged and brought under national initiatives targeted at farmers.

In line with its core mandate, AAB is implementing a women-centred emergency response to support the Rohingya refugees. Our work is focused on the Protection rights of the women and girls. Find out our response and key interventions on Rohingya crisis.