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Oxfam has been working in Bangladesh for more than 30 years to reduce poverty and build a better life for people. We work in ten districts in the country's north-west to advance the rights of women and indigenous people, and help communities prepare for natural disasters.
Our focus
Indigenous people's rights
Bangladesh has approximately 45 indigenous (adibashi) minority communities living in the hill regions and the plain lands. Over the years, the adibashi minority communities have experienced social, political, and economic exclusion, lack of recognition, fear and insecurity, loss of cultural identity, loss of land, and social oppression.
We are working with our partners to:
- Strengthen local adibashi leadership
- Include women leaders in the traditional structures of power and empower them to lead the community
- Advocate for adibashi rights among students and other young people
- Help communities to recover stolen or unfairly mortgaged land
- Protect farmers from unscrupulous money-lenders during lean times
- Strengthen community-based organisations that promote adibashi culture
- Ensure that more adibashi children get pre-primary education in their own language and so can be enrolled in mainstream schools
Women's rights
The life of many women in Bangladesh continues to be dominated by a patriarchal social system. Women are customarily treated as inferior members of society and many are subjected to domestic violence.
In conjunction with local agencies, we are seeking to bring about a fundamental shift in the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour of Bangladeshi men so that exploitation and abuse of women can be brought to an end.
Our program partners are working to bring several laws defending women's rights into effect. We are also providing support at the grassroots level, encouraging neighbours, family, and friends to identify and report acts of domestic violence.
We train service providers such as the police, hospital authorities and the judiciary to be gender sensitive when dealing with victims of gender violence. Training is also provided to men and women at high schools, universities, youth clubs and government departments to equip the community to understand and act in times of need.
Over the years, our partners have helped to stop forced marriages, facilitated marriages without dowry, and helped women to hold positions on village government bodies. These are small steps which represent the beginnings of the liberation of Bangladeshi women.
Disaster management
Much of Bangladesh floods during the monsoon season and is regularly battered by devastating tropical cyclones. When these disasters strike, we work with the government and other agencies to provide life-saving help to people in need.
After cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh in November 2007, Oxfam was there to respond. Our longer-term work is concentrated in the worst-hit regions of Baguna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Pirozpur where we are helping communities to re-establish their livelihoods, promote public health, build shelter and prepare for future disasters.
We have trained people in carpentry and quilt-making to help others in their community to get back on their feet. And for those dependent on fishing or agriculture to earn a living, we have distributed seeds, nets and boats. We have also distributed leaflets promoting good hygiene practices and water purification kits to curb illness resulting from water borne disease.
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Stories & photos
Country profile
Hiding behind the news headlines of cyclones and floods is a lush land with a rich cultural heritage and an ornate tapestry of colours and textures.
The winds of change
In Bangladesh, women suffer rape, beatings, acid attacks or even murder due to entrenched attitudes which condone violence against women. But slowly this is beginning to change.
Breaking the silence
Gender-based violence destroys lives and fractures communities. Oxfam is working to try and change the deeply entrenched behaviours and attitudes that accept violence against women as normal.