Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, Oxfam's focus is on gender equality, disaster preparedness, and helping people make a secure living.
Making the difference between life and death
The Ganges-Brahmaputra and Meghna River Basin in Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world.
- Bangladesh's 600 kilometres of coastline is regularly battered by devastating tropical cyclones
- One-third of the country floods annually during the monsoon season
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam's River Basin Programme helps reduce people's vulnerability
to floods. Being properly prepared for disasters can often
mean the difference between life and death; making a living
and destitution.
Every
year we use Oxfam’s rescue boat to rescue people,
as families can be suddenly stranded. With these boats
we can save lives, and where we can, we save their livestock,
houses and possessions as well.
Learn more
Read more examples of our work in Bangladesh:
ECHO (Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission) is a funding partner of Oxfam in Bangladesh
Opening up new markets
Two-thirds of all Bangladeshis earn their living from agriculture. Rice is especially popular. Because of the country's fertile soil, and normally ample water supply, it can be harvested up to three times a year.
Millions rely on selling what they produce to buyers overseas to make a living. But high tariffs slapped on their exports by Western countries make it hard get a decent price for their goods.
How Oxfam is helping
As well as lobbying for fairer trade rules, we provide training
and advice to small producer associations to help them market
their goods overseas and gain a secure income.
Thanks
to the help of Oxfam, the producers have gained access
to lucrative northern markets and now sell their incense
to the UK high-street retailer, The Body Shop.
Barna Ahmad, Asha Barosha producers association
Other development work
- Improving the livelihoods of garment workers, especially women
- Promoting gender equality
- Working with indigenous people in north-west Bangladesh to ensure that they have the basic services they need
Ending violence against women
Domestic violence affects nearly half of all Bangladeshi households. In many communities, social customs and attitudes tacitly condone and support violence against women.
- 47 per cent of Bangladeshi women face physical violence from their partners. A larger number undergo emotional and verbal abuse.
- Acid attacks are widespread. The majority of victims are women, nearly half of whom are under 18.
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam’s We Can campaign aims to break down attitudes
and customs which support violence against women. Some five
million specially trained ‘Change Makers’ from
across South East Asia are helping mobilise 50 million people
and bring about a sea-change in attitudes towards women.
Follow Change Maker Beauty Ara as she works to persuade local couples to address their differences without resorting to violence.
Other campaigning work
- Improving the livelihoods of garment workers, especially women
- Promoting gender equality
- Working with indigenous people in north-west Bangladesh to ensure that they have the basic services they need
Bangladesh floods
For the people of Bangladesh, floods are a recurrent fact of life. When floods happen, it’s poor communities, often living in fragile homes in vulnerable areas, who are hardest hit.
South Asia floods 2007
Some of the worst floods in years hit parts of India, Bangladesh and Nepal in July and August 2007.
One year on, communities have been rebuilding their homes and livelihoods and preparing for another monsson season. With the help of Oxfam they are now better prepared for the future.
Disaster risk reduction
Some of the most devastating cyclones and floods in the world occur in Bangladesh. The country is also affected by storm surges, drought, riverbank erosion and landslides. In 2004, it was hit by some of the worst floods in the country’s history.
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam works to help poor communities, especially women, to better prepare for, and cope with, disasters.
Our programme involves:
Raising the foundation level of homes and community places;
- Building and maintaining community cyclone and flood shelters
- Making communities more aware of how to cope and live with disasters
- Equipping communities with skills and aids such as rescue boats, emergency storage, early warning materials, and first aid/delivery boxes
Find out more about how we work in emergencies.
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