Research
In-depth analysis of Bangladesh's policy questions, weighed on the data, the economics and equity.
Half of Bangladeshi women still marry as children
Bangladesh has cut child marriage from nearly three in four young women in the 1990s to under half today — but it still has the highest rate in South Asia, and progress is far too slow to meet the country's own targets.
Lead poisoning crisis threatens 35 million Bangladeshi children
Bangladesh ranks among the worst-affected countries on Earth for childhood lead exposure — a silent epidemic that quietly erodes children's intelligence, health, and future earnings.
Bangladesh's air is cutting years off its people's lives
Bangladesh has some of the most polluted air on Earth. Fine particles at more than ten times the WHO guideline shorten the average life by around five years — more in Dhaka.
Dengue's record year — 2023 brought more cases than the previous 23 years combined
Bangladesh recorded 321,179 dengue hospitalisations and 1,705 deaths in 2023. A disease once confined to Dhaka's monsoon season has become a year-round, nationwide threat.
How Bangladesh cut cyclone deaths more than a hundredfold
In 1970 a single cyclone killed half a million people. In 2007 a stronger storm killed under 5,000. Warnings, volunteers and shelters made the difference — but the job is not finished.
Childhood immunization saves thousands of lives in Bangladesh every year
Routine vaccination is one of Bangladesh's greatest public health successes — preventing disease, protecting children, and saving lives every year.