Bangladesh is a priority partner country for German development cooperation, with bilateral activities having begun more than three decades ago. The purpose of the technical cooperation is to promote and strengthen governance, decentralisation and the rule of law, and to help the country achieve a socially and environmentally responsible market economy.

Bangladesh is frequently affected by natural disasters, especially as a result of climate change. It also has a rigid and sometimes arbitrary bureaucracy, and is characterised by over-population and the poverty which this causes. Around 50% of the population lives below the poverty line.

The activities of GIZ in Bangladesh are focused on four priority areas.

• Reform of the health system, family planning and HIV/AIDS
• Good governance, human rights and local development
• Renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Others, in particular climate change and environment.

The government agencies with which we cooperate, believe that a country's prosperity depends on having a free market economy with a well developed private sector, and on promoting social and environmental responsibility. These things are also intrinsic to a free liberal society, and are necessary for strengthening democracy and human rights. The Government of Bangladesh therefore views the support of GIZ for its agenda as an important contribution to the sustainable development of the country.

When preparing and implementing projects, we tap into local know-how and expertise, also we prioritise broad participation, in accordance with the principle of minimum intervention as practised in German development cooperation.

GIZ cooperates with other German organisations, including KfW Entwicklungsbank, and works directly with the following bilateral and multilateral organisations:

• Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• World Bank
• Netherlands Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS)
• Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID)
• UK Department for International Development (DFID)
• United States Agency for International Development (USAD)
• United Nations Development Programme