In Bangladesh, 31% of children under five suffer from stunted growth, while 24% of women aged between 15 and 49 are underweight, increasing the risk of maternal and infant mortality.

In 2024, Bangladesh grappled with a deepening humanitarian crisis amid internal political tensions. Frequent disasters left 19.7 million people food insecure, with 41 per cent lacking access to clean water and 61 per cent without adequate sanitation. Malnutrition rates escalated, with 11 per cent of the population experiencing wasting, necessitating urgent intervention.

Since 2007, Action Against Hunger has been actively addressing the multifaceted humanitarian challenges in Bangladesh, including climate disasters, food insecurity, malnutrition, and the influx of one million Rohingya refugees since 2017. In 2024, we supported nearly 223,000 individuals across Cox’s Bazar, Sunamganj, Kurigram, Bagerhat, Barguna, and Noakhali. Partnering with local organisations, we implemented innovative projects focused on climate-adaptive technologies, climate resilience, sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, gender-sensitive livelihoods, and youth entrepreneurship.

Action Against Hunger’s teams in Bangladesh also assisted the government with anticipatory actions and cyclone preparedness, leveraging artificial intelligence to model and mitigate these events. In 2024, we treated 3,957 children suffering from severe and moderate malnutrition at health centers in Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar, Kurigram, Bagerhat, Feni, and Noakhali, achieving a recovery rate of over 75 per cent. Through its integrated approach, Action Against Hunger also provided psychosocial support to 5,817 individuals and trained and supported 6,425 people to enhance climate risk preparedness.