Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

During the last two decades, Bangladesh has witnessed an impressive growth and development. The economy has grown at nearly 6 per cent per year, which as a result has made poverty drop by nearly a third coupled with increased life expectancy, literacy, and per capita food intake. In addition, more than 15 million Bangladeshis have moved out of poverty since 1992.

Bangladesh is home to more than 150 million citizens, placing Bangladesh as the seventh most populous country in the world with an extremely high population density. Sustained growth in recent years has generated higher demand for electricity, transport, and telecommunication services, and contributed to widening infrastructure deficits. While the population growth rate has declined, the labour force is growing rapidly.

Bangladesh aspires to be a middle-income country by 2021. This will require increasing GDP growth to 7.5 to 8 per cent per year based on accelerated export and remittance growth. Both public and private investment will need to increase as well. Growth will also need to be more inclusive through creation of productive employment opportunities in the domestic economy. To sustain accelerated and inclusive growth, Bangladesh will need to manage the urbanization process more effectively, as well as prepare for adaptation to climate change impacts.

This country strategy for Bangladesh sets out the principles for Denmark’s development cooperation with Bangladesh over a 5-year period, and at the same time constitutes the strategic framework for the long-term partnership with Bangladesh. The country strategy draws on the experience from the long-standing Danish-Bangladeshi development cooperation, and is the result of a consultative process, based on Bangladesh’s development priorities and Denmark’s development cooperation policies.

Danida supports activities within the areas of Water and Sanitation, Crops production, Fisheries and livestock, Rural Roads, Human Rights and Good Governance, and Minor projects as Culture and Development. As a direct result of Danish aid, millions of people have been given access to clean drinking water and better sanitation facilities. Furthermore Danish assistance has to a great extent contributed to the improvement of the livelihood for thousands of small-scale farmers and created new income generating activities for marginalized groups, especially women. The geographic area of intervention is predominantly in greater Noakhali and greater Barisal.