Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the most populated countries in the world. This poses perpetual challenges in ensuring food security, education, decent jobs, and healthcare systems. However, the large population created an abundant supply of labour and a highly competitive labour market. For this reason, Bangladesh offers very low production costs and has become one of the most cost-efficient production hubs.  
About Bangladesh

Country Facts

  • Area in km2: 148,460
  • Population: 166.59 million
  • Capital: Dhaka

Swisscontact in Bangladesh

  • Since 1970
  • 9 running projects

Projects

Bangladesh, Uganda, Cambodia
Trade
Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation
The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation is a public-private partnership for trade-led growth, supporting governments in developing and least-developed countries in implementing the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement. By bringing together governments and businesses of all sizes as equal partners to deliver targeted trade reforms, the Alliance cuts through red tape and end costly delays at borders. 
Bangladesh
Entrepreneurial ecosystems, Sustainable agriculture
Bangladesh Microinsurance Market Development Project (BMMDP) (Surokkha)
The project supports Bangladeshi farmers address their top risks and lessen their vulnerability to unpredictable weather shocks through the development and application of agriculture and livestock insurance.
Bangladesh
Initial vocational education and training
High-quality healthcare services in rural areas
Achieving Sustainability Towards Healthcare Access (ASTHA) aims at contributing to the development and expansion of sustainable and high-quality healthcare at the community level by training young adults (50% women) from seven rural districts as skilled health workers. The ASTHA-project will improve the health and living conditions of the local...
Bangladesh
Entrepreneurial ecosystems
Innovative business model for clean and affordable drinking water
Even though water has been officially recognised as a human right by the Bangladeshi government, 60% of Bangladesh’s 160 million inhabitants have no access to clean drinking water. Many people live on polluted land or with polluted groundwater. Rural and rapidly growing (sub)urban areas are not usually connected to the public drinking water supply. People collect water of questionable quality from unofficial and informal providers at high prices.
Bangladesh
Continuing Vocational Education and Training, Labour market insertion
Building Youth Employability through Skills (BYETS)
The Building Youth Employability through Skills (BYETS) project will empower Bangladeshi youth with improved technical, employability and entrepreneurial skills, and connect them to income generating opportunities: jobs and self-employment. BYETS will partner with Training Service Providers (TSPs), government, industry, and employers to create a conducive environment for the targeted youth that would facilitate employment opportunities for them.

News

Bangladesh
Trade
01.06.2023
Successful Launch of Digitalization Project at Bhomra Land Port Marks Major Milestone in Bangladesh's Trade Facilitation Efforts
The highly anticipated project launching ceremony for the "Digitalization of Border Procedures at Bhomra Land Port" was successfully held at the prestigious Ballroom of Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka on May 29, 2023.
Bangladesh
Labour market insertion
01.06.2023
ASTHA organised training for Community Paramedic Training Institutes on developing promotional strategies
According to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)3 indicators, Bangladesh needs a staggering 420,000 paramedics.[1] Unfortunately, every year only around 1100 students are enrolled in Community Paramedic (CP) courses.[2] Effective promotion of the CP course is essential to raise awareness of CP courses and increase enrolment. However, the newly registered Community Paramedic Training Institutes (CPTIs) need guidance and support for promoting CP courses. To address their need, ASTHA organised a 4-day long training in Dhaka to develop the capacity of selected CPTIs on designing promotional strategies.
Bangladesh
Labour market insertion, Continuing Vocational Education and Training
01.06.2023
Uttoron Empowers Self-Employed Graduates through "Business Establishment & Development Training in three districts"
Uttoron-Skills for Better Life recently organised multiple " Business Establishment & Development Training" programs. Trainees from both Phase I and Phase II of the Uttoron project were selected for the business development training. Uttoron will also provide these trainees with additional support with equipment to expand their business opportunities.
Country Director Bangladesh
Mujibul (Cezanne) Hasan

Swisscontact in Bangladesh

For 50 years, Swisscontact has delivered projects throughout Bangladesh, addressing systemic constraints and creating pro-poor market systems in skills and enterprise development. These projects resulted in creating thousands of decent jobs and improved livelihood options, food security, youth and women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion and economic growth. 

Besides, Swisscontact incorporates gender equality and social inclusion, environmental responsibility, and good governance across all its projects as sustainability criteria. The organisation operates from a country office based in Dhaka with five additional field offices and employs over 90 long-term national and international staff. 

Our partners
Swisscontact South Asia has been successfully working with partners below for implementing projects.
Events
Internal and Knowledge Sharing Events
Requests for Proposal
Jobs
We create opportunities
Bangladesh
Entrepreneurial ecosystems, Labour market insertion
Katalyst
Improving Business, Improving Lives.

Between 2000 and 2017, Katalyst has benefitted 4.69 million SMEs and farmers with an income increase in USD 689 million. It is the largest market development project in South Asia.

Contact

Swiss­con­tact 
House 28, Road 43, Gulshan 2
Dhaka 1212,  
Bangladesh