Over the last decade, Bangladesh has achieved marked progress in its development. Robust economic growth – complemented by the Bangladeshi government’s widely acknowledged commitment to the Millennium Development Goals – has reduced poverty in the country by nearly a third. Bangladesh is one of only 16 countries that have been recognized by the United Nations for its achievements in reducing child mortality.
But despite recent advancements in the country’s development, nearly a third of Bangladeshis still live in extreme poverty. According to the U.N. Development Program, out of 52 MDG targets set by the Bangladeshi government, the country is on track to achieve only 19 of them. Hunger and poverty reduction, employment generation, education, and health are some of the areas where progress towards the MDGs remains lacking.
In its fiscal 2011-2016 country development cooperation strategy for Bangladesh, the U.S. Agency for International Development has pledged to continue its longstanding partnership with the South Asian nation. In line with the Government of Bangladesh’s national development plans, including the Sixth Five-Year Plan for 2011–2015, the overall strategic goal of USAID programming in Bangladesh is to support Dhaka’s ambitious vision of becoming a middle income country by 2021. According to USAID, its mission in Bangladesh is one of the agency’s largest in terms of both funding and staff size.