Bangladesh Population Policy

2012

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
 CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Rationale behind Updating the Bangladesh Population Policy

3. Vision

4. Objectives

5. Major Strategies for Implementation of the Population Policy

5.1 Client-Centred Service
5.2 Urban Health Care
5.3 Area-Based Plans and Strategies
5.4 Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Program
5.5 Adolescent Welfare Program
5.6 Participation of Non-Government and Private Sectors
5.7 Empowerment of Women and Equal Partnership of Men and Women
5.8 Human Resources Development
5.9 Legal Measures
5.10 Social Measures
5.11 Population and Environment
5.12 Discourage Urban Migration and Introduce Planned Urbanization
5.13 Integrated Information Collection and its Use
5.14 Decentralization of Administrative and Financial Power
5.15 Production and Supply of Family Planning Commodities
5.16 Coordination with Different Policies and Plans

6. Role of Different Ministries, Non-Government Organizations and Private Sector in

Population Program
6.1 Role of Different Ministries in Population Program
6.2 Role of Non-Government and Private Organizations in Population Program

7. Institutional Management for Policy Implementation

1. Introduction

Socioeconomic development for every citizen is one of the major commitments laid down in
the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. According to clauses 15, 16, 17 and
18 of the Bangladesh Constitution formulated in 1972, it is the responsibility of the State to
ensure health, education, food and security for all citizens. The Government has been
undertaking various policies with a view to ensuring these constitutional rights for the people
of the country. The population growth was identified as the foremost national problem in the
first Five Year Plan (1973-1978) of Bangladesh. In this regard the speech delivered by the
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a public meeting held at the
historical Suhrawardy Udyan on the 26th March, 1975 deserves close attention. He said, “My
dear brothers, we should not ignore the fact that our population increases by three million
every year. On the other hand, the area of our country is only 55,000 square miles. If our
population continues to increase at this rate, there would be no cultivable land left in
Bangladesh in 25-30 years, and the people of Bangladesh would be reduced to cannibalizing
each other. That is why it is imperative that we control our population growth through family
planning.” An outline of the population policy was subsequently formulated in 19761.
Against this backdrop, a population policy was developed and approved formally in 2004.

In the population policy outline, population control and family planning activities were
considered integral elements of social reform and national development with a view to
reducing family size for ensuring sound maternal and child health, family welfare and higher
standard of living. The outline provided for the decentralization of financial power and
strengthening of monitoring system along with strengthening of the organizational structure
of the population control and family planning activities. Notable among the activities
undertaken were creating opportunities for gaining access to different methods of family
planning according to one’s choice, strengthening maternal and child health care, undertaking
educational activities on family planning, involving community people in population control
and family planning programs, and augmenting research and training activities. It also
stressed the importance of increasing the legal ages for marriage as well as strengthening the
basic information registration system. As a result, the percentage of use of family planning
methods increased from 8% in the mid-1970s to 61.2% in 2011. At the same time the Total
Fertility Rate (TFR) came down to 2.3 in 2011 from 6.3 in 1975 2. It had also been possible to
lower the population growth rate from 3% in the mid-1970s to 1.34% in 2011 3. However, this

1 Bangladesh Population Policy – An outline, June 1976, Dhaka, Department of Population Control and Family Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of
Bangladesh.
2 Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey (BDHS), Preliminary Report - 2011.
3 Population & Housing Census, Preliminary Results - July 2011.
success is not adequate for improving the living standards of the people. Apart from
excessive population density (with 964 4 people per square kilometer, Bangladesh is one of
the most densely populated countries in the world), depletion of forests and arable land, air
and water pollution, shortage of pure drinking water, insufficient housing facilities,
unemployment, malnutrition, and slow rate of progress in health and nutrition sectors are the
most notable among the problems that are hindering Bangladesh’s development efforts.

The main objective of Bangladesh Population Policy 2004 was to achieve Net Reproductive
Rate (NRR) = 1 by 2010 in order to have a stable population by 2060. But as it has not been
possible to achieve NRR = 1 by 2010 as targeted originally, it is now imperative to update the
current population policy to accelerate the related activities.

Moreover, it is essential to implement family planning activities that are in keeping with the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) held in 1994, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other related policies along with the Sixth
Five Year Plan. All these were taken into account while steps were taken to formulate
Bangladesh Population Policy 2012.

2. Rationale behind Updating the Bangladesh Population Policy

According to the preliminary results of the latest census published in 2011, the current
population of Bangladesh is 14 crores and 23 lakhs 5. It is increasing by approximately 18-20
lakhs every year 6. By the year 2015, the population density will increase to 1050 people per
square kilometer from the current 964 people per square kilometer. This will put enormous
pressure on all utilities and infrastructures including food, clothing, education, health care,
accommodation, water, sewerage system, electric supply etc. Besides, population growth
varies greatly across different regions of the country, and certain areas and communities in
the country are still being deprived of essential social services. Therefore, it is indispensable
to update the population policies and strategies in order to keep the population of the country
within tolerable limits.

The Population Policy 2004 aimed to achieve Replacement Level Fertility and Net
Reproduction Rate (NRR) = 1 by the year 2010. But considering the present Replacement

4 Population & Housing Census, Preliminary Results - July 2011.

5 Population & Housing Census, Preliminary Results - July 2011.
6 Population Projection of Bangladesh: BBS, 2007.
Level Fertility rate and the number of users of family planning methods, it was observed that
NRR = 1 was not achieved within the said period of time. Besides, success as expected could
not be achieved with regard to planning and implementation of various strategies and
activities including client-oriented services, youth-friendly services, empowerment and
equality of women, services for the poor and the elderly, human resources development,
environment-friendly planning etc. The program failed to achieve expected results due to the
prevalence of early marriages and pregnancies, and a persistent lack of interest in using long-
term and permanent family planning methods. Moreover, it was not possible to achieve the
desired results because of the fact that adequate number of special localized programs were
not undertaken in inaccessible areas including backward regions.

It is important to achieve NRR = 1 within a definite time span, and if it can be achieved by
2015 then the population of Bangladesh would be 22 crores in 2050 and it would stand still at
23-25 crores in the year 2070. If achieving NRR = 1 is delayed, it would take more time to
achieve a stable population due to the momentum originated from a young population age
structure. If the present rate of population growth continues, it would be difficult to meet the
basic needs including food, clothing, education, accommodation, health care, climate,
environment and communication structures for the huge population within the geo-physical
limits of Bangladesh. It will be almost impossible to achieve the expected higher standard of
living of the people by dealing with the pressure on proper distribution and utilization of
national resources. Against this backdrop, it is necessary to develop a pragmatic and widely
acceptable policy through involving government, non-government and private sector
institutions and undertake programs and strategies in the light of the policy.

3. Vision

Develop a healthier, happier and wealthier Bangladesh through planned development and
control of the nation’s population.

4. Objectives

4.1 Lower the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to 2.1 by increasing the rate of prevalence of
contraceptive users to 72%, and achieve NRR = 1 by the year 2015;

4.2. Ensure the availability of family planning methods to eligible couples by providing
easy access to reproductive health services including family planning methods; build
awareness among the poor and the adolescents of family planning, reproductive health,
reproductive tract infections and HIV/AIDS; and prioritize counseling services;

4.3 Reduce maternal and infant mortality, and take steps to improve health care for
mothers and children by ensuring safe motherhood;

4.4 Ensure gender equity and women’s empowerment, and strengthen activities to
eliminate gender discrimination in family planning and maternal and child health care
programs;

4.5 Undertake short-, medium- and long-term plans for developing the population into
human resources with the participation of the concerned Ministries;

4.6 Ensure easy acces to information on reproductive health including family planning at
all levels.

5. Major Strategies for Implementation of the Population Policy

5.1 Client-Centred Service

Improve service centre practices and door-to-door services to ensure client-centred

services, and undertake the following strategies to make them complement each other:

a) Ensure services through existing Health and Family Welfare Centers in

districts, upazillas, and unions, including Satellite and Community Clinics in
the community;
b) Ensure client-centred services through the participation of non-government
and private sectors;
c) Continue providing door-to-door services to all eligible couples, especially to
the poor, and ensure mechanism for referral from the field level. Also establish
e-reproductive services;
d) Bring newly-weds, adolescents and parents of one or two children under the
coverage of family planning services on a priority basis;
e) Identify couples with unmet needs for health and family planning information
and services, and ensure delivery of those services;
f) Ensure all maternity services with the support of skilled and trained service
providers;
 g) Ensure the availability of essential information and services related to sexually
transmitted infections (STIs), reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and
HIV/AIDs for all, especially for communities at high risk;
h) Encourage homestead gardening for the production of fruits and vegetables to
ensure the supply of vitamin A and other nutrients. Prevent malnutrition
among infants and pregnant women, and augment activities to enhance
awareness of this issue among people in general;
i) Participate in activities carried out to ensure immunization of all women and
children;
j) Ensure 24-hour services at Union Health and Family Welfare centres. Deploy
Medical Officers, Family Welfare Visitors, Sub-Assistant Community
Medical Officers, Pharmacists, MLSSs and governesses at all Union Health
and Family Welfare centres, and develop the associated personnel as
midwives through training as needed;
k) Ensure regular supply of required medicine and equipment to all service
centres; make sure that family planning supplies are easily available at public
and private service centers; and ensure security of all such centres;
l) Encourage all eligible couples to accept family planning methods through
informed choice and voluntarism;
m) Ensure delivery of specialized emergency reproductive health care services in
case of mishaps or emergencies.

5.2 Urban Health Care

Undertake action plans through effective coordination between the Ministry of Local
Government and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the aim of ensuring
urban health care services, especially family planning and maternal and child health
care services for the slum-dwellers and the floating and destitute people in the City
Corporation and the Municipal areas. Especially undertake plans and strategies to
ensure client-centred services in the urban regions.

5.3 Area-Based Plans and Strategies

Upon assessing the present health and family planning activities in Bangladesh, it is
observed that acceptance of service varies across different geographical, economic,
social and educational backgrounds. In this context, undertake special plans of action
and strategies aimed at particular regions and relatively backward areas along with
greater national plans and strategies:
 a) Planning and implementation of programs at local levels that are consistent
with the local-level national program to address specific needs and achieve
specific goals. In this regard, delegate necessary financial and administrative
power for implementing programs locally with the assistance of local
government;
b) Undertake specific priority programs at both government and non-government
levels in the light of the existing realities in the coastal regions in order to
include the people of the coastal areas of the country in the family planning,
maternal and child health care, and nutrition programs;
c) Coordinate local family planning activities with field-level programs of other
Ministries, and undertake collaborative activities if required;
d) Perform client segmentation on the basis of acceptance of family planning
methods by eligible couples in order to provide local need-based services and
ensure quality service.

5.4 Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Program

Undertake various informative, educational and motivational activities under the

Population, Nutrition and Health program for behavioural change:

(a) Make all-out efforts to popularize and establish the slogan ‘No more than two
children, but one is better’;
(b) Provide information on the reduction of maternal and child mortality and
different family planning methods and their advantages and disadvantages;
and augment publicity for building social movement through apprising of the
far-reaching impact and importance of economic solvency, education, health
and social security;
(c) Undertake behavior change communication (BCC) programs to encourage the
seeking of prenatal, natal and postnatal services;
(d) Assist in promotion of behavioral change program to prevent all contagious
diseases including infection of the reproductive tract, sexually transmitted
diseases, HIV/AIDS etc.;
(e) Ensure regular dissemination of multidimensional and attractive important
messages regarding population, family planning, maternal and child health etc.
through government and non-government radio, television and print media,
and other available mass media platforms;
(f) Assist in behavior change through analysis and utilization of gender-based
information;
 (g) Organize dissemination meetings on specific subjects selected for groups of
public representatives, religious leaders, different social organizations, non-
government organizations, development partners, women leaders, newly
married couples etc. from grass-roots to district levels;
(h) Take necessary steps to develop and disseminate messages on family
planning, and maternal and child health issues based on regional languages
and cultures. In such cases, ensure delivery of aforesaid messages through
entertainment programs with the help of local cultural groups;
(i) Facilitate dissemination of specific information on family planning issues by
different public and private organizations in their advertisements. Especially,
facilitate publicity on family planning issues on private radio and television
channels as a part of their corporate social responsibility;
(j) Initiate necessary steps to incorporate issues related to family planning, and
maternal and child health in educational curriculum and text books.

5.5 Adolescent Welfare Program

More than one-fifth of the population of Bangladesh is adolescent, and one third of
the female adolescents are either mothers or pregnant. Although there is no provision
of marriage before 18 years of age, two-thirds of the adolescents are married off
before they are 18. integrated initiatives efforts must be made through government
and non-government organizations, and religious and social institutions in order to
change this practice. Ensure registration of marriages irrespective of race, religion and
caste, and make the marriage registrars aware of their responsibilities and duties:

a) Ensure providing information and advice in favour of late marriage and having
children with adequate birth intervals;
b) Create employment opportunities for the unmarried women in the rural areas;
assist in developing their skills through loan facilities and technical training;
c) Organize dissemination workshops, essay writing and debating competition
etc. for adolescents in schools and colleges regarding maternal and child
health, reproductive health and family planning issues;
d) Educate the adolescents in health issues and life skills, and increase awareness
of their parents, teachers and service providers for orientating the adolescents
regarding adolescent health;
e) Undertake special programs for the adolescents to transform them into skilled
manpower.
5.6 Participation of Non-Government and Private Sectors

Active participation of government, non-government and private sectors in different

phases of population program is imperative. Adopt the following strategies with this
end in view:

a) Encourage the affiliated non-government organizations to expand their

programs on health, nutrition and population in areas where these services are
absent;
b) Undertake programs with the support of non-government and private sectors
or through joint collaboration in order to implement the health, population and
nutrition program of the government, and ensure delivery of services with
charges as low as possible;
c) Strengthen communication and coordination among government, non-
government and private sectors, and undertake programs through identifying
specific, priority-based fields of activities;
d) Make the Directorate General of Family Planning act as the ‘Focal Point’ in
order to maintain close communication of the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, and other concerned ministries and departments with non-
government and private-sector organizations, and avoid duplication of work.

5.7 Empowerment of Women and Equal Partnership of Men and Women

The women of Bangladesh are still far behind with regard to equal ownership for
men and women and gender equality. In some families the female children have less
access to nutrition, health service and education in comparison to the male children.
A number of deep-rooted social and cultural barriers in the society have led to
discriminatory behavior between men and women. The women in most cases are
engaged in services with lower rates of remuneration and are earning less compared
to men. In many cases they are being deprived of the opportunities of getting
institutional loans easily and participating in other economic activities. In this
regard, adopt the following strategies in order to establish better equality among
men and women:

a) Formulate gender sensitive strategies for both men and women in all
government and non-government activities;
b) Women’s skills development through imparting appropriate education and
vocational training, and ensure their participation in economic activities;
 c) Establish necessary child care facilities including day care centers in both
urban and rural work areas;
d) Encourage institutions/organizations involved in women’s development to
participate in activities pertaining to family planning and reproductive health;
e) Incorporate family planning issues in all social welfare activities and various
credit programs run by different government and non-government
organizations;
f) Eliminate women and child trafficking and all types of oppression and sexual
abuse.
g) Undertake awareness campaign to make men more responsible regarding
women’s needs and requirements for family planning and reproductive health
services;
h) Create gender equality among boys and girls in terms of access to health
services, nutrition, education and employment.

5.8 Human Resources Development

Adopt the following strategies considering that skilled manpower is indispensable

for the proper implementation of activities under the population policy framework
with a view to providing quality services on family planning, maternal and child
health, and reproductive health care in the service centres at all levels:

a) In order to ensure quality services in government facilities as per existing

population, assess manpower requirement at all levels, appoint them, and
impart basic training along with regular/in-service training to them;
b) Update recruitment rules from time to time, prepare career plans and take
initiative for timely promotion;
c) Provide encouragement and incentives to the non-government training
institutes, and develop skilled manpower for government and non-government
sectors through them;
d) Ensure development of skilled manpower through appropriate training
curriculum in government and non-government institutes; make provisions for
pre-service training in academic and training institutes at all levels.

5.9 Legal Measures

With the assistance from other concerned ministries, the following strategies to be
adopted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in order to achieve the
objectives of Population Policy:
 a) Avoid duplication of work by making a single organization responsible for
registration of birth, death, marriage and divorce;
b) As per birth registration information, ensure the citizens’ rights for all
children, get them enrolled in schools at an appropriate age and prevent early
marriage of girl children. Use birth certificate during admission into school
and marriage registration in order to ensure birth registration;
c) Make marriage registration mandatory according to the prevailing law and
ensure compliance by all citizens; confirm age as per birth certificate before
marriage registration.

5.10 Social Measures

Welfare Services for the Elderly, Poor and Disabled People:

A considerable portion of the population of Bangladesh is elderly, poor and

disabled. Undertake special priority programs for them with regard to health,
education and social security/safety net.

5.11 Population and Environment

Rapid growth of urban population leading to scarcity of housing, inadequate supply

of water and sewerage facilities, and air pollution is constantly affecting the
environment. Take the following measures to resolve these problems:

a) Discourage establishment of housing blocks and industrial factories causing

depletion of agricultural lands in urban and rural areas, and promote planned
housing areas and industrial zones;
b) Strengthen social afforestation program in the rural areas and undertake
appropriate measures to create pollution-free environment in urban and rural
areas;
c) Ensure availability of pure, arsenic-free water for all citizens, and identify
alternative sources for arsenic-free water;
d) Minimize pollution caused by vehicular traffic through the enforcement of
appropriate laws;
e) Control expansion of slum areas and encourage environment-friendly
activities through different government agencies;
f) Encourage municipalities/city corporations or other municipal authorities to
conduct regular cleanliness campaigns for keeping towns, cities and
marketplaces neat and clean;
 g) Assist in excavation of canals and ponds in rural areas, and prevent soil and
river erosion; ensure proper enforcement of existing laws to discourage
establishment of of housing blocks and industrial factories through filling up
of rivers and water reservoirs;
h) Adopt strategies with due consideration to population and environment in
view of social security.

5.12 Discourage Urban Migration and Introduce Planned Urbanization

Minimize disparities between citizens’ facilities/services in rural and urban areas in

order to discourage migration from villages to towns, and create new employment
opportunities in rural areas. Ensure effective coordination among all respective
departments to promote planned urbanization.

5.13 Integrated Information Collection and its Use

Census, demographic survey and the findings of different researches are the
primary sources of population information. While census, demographic survey and
researches are carried out regularly in the country, the information received thereof
is not properly utilized. In this regard, take the following coordinated initiatives
under the strategies of the administrative ministry and other concerned ministries in
order to maintain continuity of the process of collection of information and to
ensure its adequate use:

a) Conduct regular survey and research on population, health and nutrition;

b) Encourage regular communication among the population, health and nutrition
researchers, policy makers, planners, managers and stakeholders, and ensure
use of information received from the researches;
c) Coordinate the activities of different institutions in connection with collection,
analysis and use of gender-based information, and determine indicators for
monitoring of effective implementation of Population Policy;
d) Encourage the use of modern digital information technology for integrated
collection and use of information, and ensure free flow of all information
through different media including websites.

5.14 Decentralization of Administrative and Financial Power

To ensure delivery of quality family planning and maternal and child health care
services it is essential to decentralize administrative and financial decision-making
authority and ensure community participation in all activities. Adopt the following
strategies to achieve these objectives:
 a) Decentralize administrative and financial decision-making power, and ensure
community participation in population, nutrition and health programs;
decentralize services by delegating more power to those at district to union
levels;
b) In order to provide demand-driven reproductive health services, identify local
problems and prospects, and, in the light of those, develop local level action
plan through the participation of the local elite, stakeholders and women
representatives of the poor in the society;
c) Raise/create funds to enhance the scope and quality of reproductive health
services, and activate and empower the local level (upazila and union)
committees to ensure its proper utilization;
d) Strengthen the role of local government to facilitate transparent administration
and people’s participation, and include representatives of farmers, labourers
and womenfolk in it;
e) Ensure inclusion of mothers’ welfare club and similar associations in order to
extend the scope of family planning, maternal and child health, and
reproductive health services at the union and field levels.

5.15 Production and Supply of Family Planning Commodities

Every year the Government imports family planning commodities at the expense of
a huge amount of foreign currency. Provide encouragement and incentives to local
entrepreneurs for taking initiatives to produce family planning commodities in the
country; take necessary steps to ensure contraceptive security at all levels.
Especially, ensure supply of necessary materials for providing family planning and
reproductive health services to organizations engaged in such services in labour
intensive areas.

5.16 Coordination with Different Policies and Plans

Formulate strategies for implementation of this policy in coordination with the
related policies, plans and programs of the government.

6. Role of Different Ministries, Non-Government Organizations and

Private Sector in Population Program
Expected achievements in various economic sectors are being hindered due to rapid growth
of population. As such it is essential to include the ministries and institutions as partners in
population planning and development programs whose target groups are heavily affected by
growth of population. In this regard the concerned ministries and institutions can play fruitful
roles within the scope of their own activities:

6.1 Role of Different Ministries in Population Program

A. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

This ministry will act as the leading ministry with regard to population and family
welfare programs. It will supervise family planning, maternal and child health, and
reproductive health services provided by institutions such as hospitals and other
service centers located at districts to grass-roots levels. This Ministry will also
undertake the responsibilities regarding formulation of policies on population and
family planning programs and coordination, and will implement population policy
with support from other ministries, government and non-government organizations,
and civil societies. Moreover, this Ministry will act as the secretariat of the National
Population Council and will monitor the progress of implemention of the Council’s
policy decisions and the programs of stakeholder committees at national, district,
upazilla and union levels. At the same time it will improve quality of services through
capacity development of the officials and staff members engaged in population
program by imparting training to them, and through providing necessary assistance
for research activities. The departments and organizations under the ministry will
formulate appropriate strategies for the implementation of family planning and
reproductive health services as per their roles and responsibilities, and will implement
programs accordingly.

B. Ministry of Public Administration

Along with formulation and implementation of national training policy, this ministry
can incorporate modules on effects of over-population and public motivation for
having planned families in the training curricula of the institutions under it, namely
Bangladesh Public Administration Training Center (BPATC), Regional Public
Administration Training Centers (RPATCs) and Bangladesh Civil Service
Administrative Academy. This ministry can take necessary initiatives to implement
family planning and maternal and child health activities at the field level through
division, district and upazilla administrations.

C. Ministry of Finance
With increased focus on planned population and its development, this ministry will be
responsible for allocating necessary funds for the Health and Family Welfare Ministry
as well as the Directorate General of Family Planning for implementing family
planning, maternal and child health, and reproductive health programs. Besides, it will
also allocate necessary funds to other ministries for the implementation of programs
pertaining to family planning, maternal and child health, and reproductive health.

D. Ministry of Education

Upholding the high standards in accordance with the National Education Policy, this
ministry will ensure development and implementation of curricula for secondary and
higher secondary levels that include family planning, maternal and child health, and
reproductive health issues; and strengthen activities to encourage equality between
male and female population in education sector. Besides, it will include updated
issues relating to over-population and its serious impact, health, education and life
skills education in different text books and other learning materials. Similarly, the
ministry can take necessary steps including introducing research programs in the
universities in order to develop courses on demography, and population and
reproductive health.

E. Ministry of Primary and Mass Education

Upholding the high standards in accordance with the National Education Policy, this
ministry will ensure development and implementation of curricula for primary level
that include topics on planned families, maternal and child health, and reproductive
health; and strengthen activities to encourage equality between male and female
population in education sector. Besides, it will include updated issues relating to
population, health, education and life skills education in different text books and other
learning materials. The ministry will also include issues relating to the effects of over-
population and motivation at all levels of the society for having planned families in
the curricula of different teachers’ training institutes under it.

F. Ministry of Agriculture

This ministry will include topics related to population and health education in the
curricula of the vocational training institutes under it. The ministry will utilize its
extension service employees to undertake effective initiatives to encourage the people
engaged in farming to increase the income of farming households through the use of
modern agricultural technologies and to promote two-child families. Moreover, this
ministry can play an important role in discouraging urban migration through
stakeholder counselling.

G. Ministry of Information
This ministry will allocate time and resources for broadcasting information on health
education, family planning, maternal and child health, reproductive health, equality of
men and women, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS through different
public and private radio and television channels, and other different media. At the
same time the ministry will encourage all types of newspapers and private mass media
to play appropriate roles for creating public awareness of such issues.

H. Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives

This Ministry can undertake activities to involve members of the Union Councils,
Upazilla Councils and District Councils, and local opinion leaders in population and
development programs. It is possible to create momentum in family planning
programs through activating the existing District Family Planning Committees,
Upazilla Family Planning Committees, Union Family Planning Committees and Ward
Family Planning Committees. Special action plans can be undertaken for monitoring
activities and developing programs at local levels by ensuring holding of committee
meetings at upazilla, union and ward levels as per existing instructions with special
emphasis on family planning and maternal and child health programs. Topics
pertaining to reproductive health and equality of men and women can be included in
the adult education and training activities. This ministry can motivate women’s
cooperative societies to conduct population programs. These societies can encourage
their members to have planned families while imparting training and extending loan
facilities to them. The ministry can undertake the responsibility to promote birth and
death registration all over the country, and to ensure quality health care services in all
city corporation and municipal areas. It can involve the Directorate General of Family
Planning in primary health care and population program undertaken by the Local
Government Division in the city corporation and municipal areas.

I. Ministry of Planning / Planning Commission

This ministry will assist the government in its policy making and planning with
serious deliberations on demography, population projection and development, and
connect these issues to all development plans. It will include, if possible, components
addressing the problem of over-population in the development projects of different
ministries.

J. Ministry of Social Welfare

It is possible to involve more rural people in the maternity centre programs through
strengthening the institutions under it. This ministry will play a role in encouraging
the communities to receive family planning services from these centers. Moreover,
the ministry can instruct the institutions who receive grants from it and the registered
NGOs to conduct population programs.

K. Ministry of Women and Children Affairs

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will take necessary steps to implement
women’s programs related to family planning, maternal and child health, and
reproductive health while giving special importance to women’s skill development
training, arrangement of loans for trained women, institutional training, and the rights
and responsibilities of women.

L. Ministry of Youth and Sports

The Ministry of Youth and Sports can organize various sports programs at school and
college levels for wider dissemination of messages related to family planning, and
maternal and child health. In this regard the ministry can carry out its responsibilities
through coordination with the Directorate General of Family Planning.

M. Ministry of Cultural Affairs

This ministry can undertake different cultural activities for wider dissemination of
messages related to family planning, and maternal and child health. In this regard the
ministry will carry out its activities through coordination with the Directorate General
of Family Planning.

N. Ministry of Environment and Forests

In compliance with the National Environment Policy, the Ministry of Environment

and Forests will encourage people to plant trees, discourage them from encroaching
on forest land for habitation, implement the ban on using vehicles that pollute the
environment, give importance to population issues in the programs of the ministry to
promote better natural environment, and take initiative to implement its programs
according to the National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.

O. Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

This ministry can take special initiatives to incorporate population issues in all field
level activities implemented by it. Besides, this ministry can take initiatives to
motivate the beneficiaries of the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), Vulnerable
Group Feeding (VGF) and other social security programs to accept family planning
methods in order to have planned families.

P. Ministry of Home Affairs

This ministry can provide family planning, maternal and child health, and
reproductive health care services through hospitals and other service centers under it,
and can conduct regular educational programs for the officers and staff members
working in those facilities. Besides, Bangladesh Police, RAB, Border Guard
Bangladesh, and Ansar and VDP can motivate their members to receive health and
family planning services, can participate in health education programs, and undertake
awareness programs for control and prevention of various contagious diseases
including HIV/AIDS.

Q. Ministry of Labour and Employment

This ministry will introduce family planning and reproductive health care services in
labour welfare centers, tea garden clinics and other service centers under it. It can
strengthen these services in industrial areas too. Besides, the ministry will incorporate
family planning and reproductive health care issues in the curricula of the training
institutes under it.

R. Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment

In order to collect specific information regarding sexually transmitted diseases and
HIV/AIDS, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment can
strengthen surveillance on the workers back from abroad. Besides, it can take
necessary steps to create awareness among the workers going abroad regarding the
deadly impacts of these diseases.
S. Ministry of Religious Affairs
This ministry can strengthen its training programs for religious leaders and Imams on
family planning, maternal and child health care services, and prevention of sexually
transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDs in the light of the religious teachings. The
importance of family planning can be reflected in different publications of this
ministry.

T. Ministry of Land
This ministry will introduce activities related to family planning and reproductive
health care information and services in different development programs conducted by
it including Ideal Village, Rootless and Slum Rehabilitation programs.

U. Ministry of Industries
This ministry will take necessary steps to provide family planning and reproductive
health information and services in order to ensure the reproductive health rights of the
female and male workers who are engaged in government and non-government
industries, especially in labour-intensive factories including garment factories.
Besides, the ministry can provide information and counselling to unmarried workers
and encourage them to marry late, and help them with family planning. In this regard
the ministry will take joint initiatives with the concerned professional associations.

V. Ministry of Housing and Public Works

This ministry will take initiatives for planned housing and urbanization in rural and
urban areas through the departments under it in order to provide accommodation and
other necessary civic facilities for the increasing population.

W. Ministry of Science and Technology

This ministry can allocate funds for conducting research on population, family
planning and reproductive health issues through its scientific research programs.

X. Ministry of Information and Communication Technology

This ministry can take initiative to disseminate information on population issues
through the website maintained under its e-Governance program.

Y. Ministry of Defence
This ministry can undertake activities for encouraging the members of Bangladesh
Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force to receive health and family
planning services and to participate in health education programs, and for creating
 awareness of control and prevention of different contagious diseases including
HIV/AIDS among them. Besides, the ministry can provide health, family planning,
and maternal and child health care services through the hospitals and other service
centres under it.

6.2 Role of Non-Government and Private Organizations in Population Program

a) Production and distribution of family planning commodities by non-government

and private sectors would be encouraged. Incentives would be given to all types of
private sector service providers, professional bodies, employment-generating
industries and other institutions for playing complementary roles in implementing
population program of the government.
b) Import, distribution and marketing of family planning commodities by non-
government and private sectors would be facilitated.

7. Institutional Management for Policy Implementation

The National Population Council (NPC) will coordinate and monitor inter-ministerial
activities for the implementation of Bangladesh Population Policy. With this end in view, the
National Population Council has already been constituted with the Honourable Prime
Minister as its head. Concerned ministers, secretaries, departmental heads, leading non-
government institutions, population experts, social scientists and public health experts are the
members of this Council. The National Population Council will provide necessary guidance
for implementing the population policies and programs, inter-ministerial coodination,
monitoring of progress and evaluation of its impact. The Council will provide instructions for
any alteration or updating of the Population Policy if deemed necessary. There will be an
Executive Committee under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare which will disseminate the directives given by the National Population
Council to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, different organizations and
individuals, and will take initiate to implement those.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will act as the secretariat of the National
Population Council and will implement the recommendations and decisions taken by the
National Population Council with assistance from other concerned ministries. There will be a
small Task Force comprising of population experts and attached with the office of the Senior
Secretary / Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to help the
secretariat in conducting all activities including assisting the Council, preparing technical
papers regarding the policies and monitoring progess of implementation of decisions taken by
the NPC.

The Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) will play the leading role in
implementing and supervising various programs mentioned in the Bangladesh Poulation
Policy. The DGFP will ensure family planning, maternal and child health, and reproductive
health care services in accordance with the demand of the clients through the countrywide
service centres and service providers under the organization. With this end in view, the DGFP
will ensure continuous supply of family planning commodities, necessary medicines and
MSR, and maintain the quality of care through proper supervision and monitoring. Along
with these, the DGFP will take initiative for creation of demand for family planning and
reproductive health services through behavioural change communication programs. The
DGFP will implement different programs under the Population Policy through strengthening
coordination with different ministries of the government, semi-government organizations,
autonomous bodies, non-government institutions and private initiatives, and ensure
accountability and transparency in every tier of the programs.

Different directorates, departments and institutions under the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare along with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will extend overall
support to the DGFP for implementing different programs related to Population Policy. A
detailed time-bound well-coordinated action plan will be prepared for implementing the
Population Policy which will include specific, measurable indicators for monitoring progress.

By order of the President

(……………………)
Assistant Secretary