Education, Protection and Emergency Support in Bangladesh

Supporting vulnerable children and families

ICT’s partner in Bangladesh, BISAP, is based in Chittagong. BISAP’s main objective is the empowerment of poor and vulnerable communities in Bangladesh. While working with all groups, it has a particular focus on the realities and needs of women and children.

Its work includes education, empowerment and livelihoods, participation, prevention of trafficking, combating early marriage, combating gender-based violence, skills development and job placement. BISAP has national reach.

BISAP works within networks of international and national NGOs in Bangladesh for learning, information exchange, advocacy and co-curricular activities.

It has particular experience of working with government education departments and schools to address social problems affecting disadvantaged children. This includes street-connected and working children, including child labourers, children living in urban and rural slum communities, refugee children, and children rescued from trafficking and early marriage.

BISAP was appointed to run schools for the government in the slum communities of Chattogram city and has established skills training for formerly street-connected boys and girls in coastal communities.

It also contributes to the NGO response to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram, coordinating with organisations including UNICEF and Save the Children to help prevent duplication and make effective use of resources.

BISAP currently runs two Literacy Centres in the Bihar Refugee Camps and slum communities in Chattogram District and three in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar District.

Through these centres, vulnerable children receive educational and recreational opportunities. BISAP staff also provide children’s rights awareness sessions for parents, helping families understand and strengthen their responsibilities towards their children.

Most recently, with ICT’s support, BISAP organised the distribution of emergency food, medicines, blankets and warm clothing for families in villages devastated by the flooding of August 2024, which severely affected children’s safety and security.