Press Release
Dhaka, June 28, 2026: Aimed at improving the quality of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for women and adolescent girls and ensuring transparency and accountability in service delivery, a project introduction and consultation workshop was held for Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) new project, “Strengthening Integrity and Accountability in Sexual and Reproductive Health Systems in Bangladesh.” Under the project, direct evidence on service delivery will be collected at the union level, and community facilitators will monitor selected indicators to identify existing healthcare and governance-related challenges at 16 selected Union Health and Family Welfare Centres in Lakshmipur and Nilphamari districts. The project will also undertake evidence-based, field-level initiatives to improve service quality and strengthen transparency and accountability through sustained engagement and advocacy with the relevant authorities to address the identified challenges. Funded by the Swedish Government and implemented with support from Transparency International Global Health, the multi-country project is being carried out in Bangladesh alongside Zambia, Ecuador, and Tunisia.
Speaking as the chief guest at the event held today (Sunday) at TIB’s Dhanmondi office, the Honourable Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain, said, “The health sector became deeply entrenched in corruption due to years of poor governance. Public resources were looted and wasted, depriving people of their rightful healthcare services. However, under the Prime Ministers directive, we are firmly committed to establishing good governance and taking a strong stance against corruption in the health sector. In this context, TIB’s project is a timely and valuable initiative. The government remains committed to providing all necessary support, from the field level to the policymaking level, for its successful implementation.” He also expressed hope that the initiative would contribute significantly to achieving the government’s objectives in the health sector.
Speaking as a special guest, Dr. Syeda Naushin Parnini, Additional Secretary (Development Wing) of the Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, said, “TIB’s project is a timely initiative to strengthen transparency and integrity in Bangladesh’s sexual and reproductive health system. As a pilot initiative, the project has selected Nilphamari and Lakshmipur, alongside Dhaka, and I believe there are sound reasons for choosing these districts. The government stands ready to support the project in every possible way so that it delivers meaningful benefits for all stakeholders involved in maternal and child healthcare.”
Welcoming the initiative, Director General of the Directorate General of Family Planning, Dr. Jinnat Rehana, said as a special guest, “We welcome this project as an effective mechanism for identifying gaps in the sexual and reproductive health sector. If the project shares its monitoring findings and identifies specific challenges with us, we will be able to take prompt measures to improve service quality by addressing similar issues across other unified health centers. I also believe that TIB’s initiative will, in the future, expand further to strengthen reproductive healthcare services and public awareness.”
Highlighting that the health sector is one of TIB’s priority areas for research, public engagement, and advocacy at both the national and local levels, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “The active cooperation and participation of the government, along with all relevant stakeholders at every level, are crucial for the successful implementation of this project, which has been designed to improve the quality of sexual and reproductive health services while ensuring integrity and accountability.” Among the key challenges discussed during the workshop was the need for timely budget allocations for the sexual and reproductive health sector that are aligned with field-level realities, as well as ensuring transparent and accountable public expenditure despite existing budget constraints. In this context, the Executive Director emphasized that the nearly two-and-a-half-fold increase in health sector allocations proposed in the national budget would deliver meaningful benefits only if public funds are utilized through corruption-free and conflict-of-interest-free processes across the sector.
Project Coordinator Dr. Mushfika Mizan presented the project’s implementation plan in detail during the consultation workshop. The open discussion and experience-sharing session was chaired by Professor Dr. Sumaiya Khair, Adviser, Executive Management, TIB. Participants shared their experiences regarding existing challenges, irregularities, and service recipients’ experiences at health centers, while exchanging views on practical solutions. Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Directorate General of Family Planning, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and other institutions provided recommendations on monitoring mechanisms, data collection, and engagement with the relevant authorities. Also present at the workshop were Ferhana Ferdous, Director, Civic Engagement Division, TIB and Muhammad Badiuzzaman, Director, Research and Policy Division, TIB. The event brought together government representatives, members of like-minded development organizations working in the health sector, health experts, and other relevant stakeholders.
Under the project, TIB will conduct regular monitoring of the selected health centers, collect feedback directly from service recipients, facilitate community meetings to encourage active citizen participation at the local level, and undertake continuous advocacy and engagement with relevant authorities at the local, upazila, district, and national levels. The project is aligned with Bangladesh’s national health sector priorities, universal health coverage, gender equality, and the global anti-corruption agenda.
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Email: tauhidul@ti-bangladesh.org
