Standard chartered bank and icddr,b launch three-year health project
Standard Chartered Bangladesh and icddr,b have launched a major three-year initiative to improve reproductive healthcare access for women and adolescent girls in six remote regions of Bangladesh.
The agreement was signed by Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bangladesh, and Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director of icddr,b, in the presence of senior representatives from both organisations.
The initiative will cover 100 unions across the Barind, Beel, Char, Coastal, Hill Tract, and Haor areas — regions that are often underserved due to difficult terrain, limited infrastructure, and the growing impacts of climate change.
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Through 100 health camps, the project will directly benefit more than 30,000 adolescents and young women and indirectly reach around 100,000 individuals. Services will include routine check-ups, expert consultations, cervical cancer screening, and mental health support. Additionally, 100 awareness sessions will be held on menstrual health, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), safe water and hygiene, and household waste management, reaching a further 10,000 beneficiaries.
Naser Ezaz Bijoy said: "In many remote areas of Bangladesh, women and adolescent girls face significant barriers to even the most basic healthcare — simply because of where they live. Through our partnership with icddr,b, we are bridging this gap by bringing essential health interventions, including cervical cancer screening, directly to underserved communities. By reaching over 30,000 women and adolescent girls in 100 remote locations, we aim to create lasting impact rooted in dignity, equity, and care."
Dr Tahmeed Ahmed added, "Women and adolescent girls in hard-to-reach areas face severe reproductive health challenges due to limited health infrastructure. This initiative with Standard Chartered Bangladesh is a step towards addressing these disparities and improving the quality of life."
The partnership leverages icddr,b's expertise in community-based health interventions and is expected to serve as a model for impactful, locally driven public health engagement.
