Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in Asia, with roughly 150 million people living on land 60 percent smaller than Japan and 30 percent of the population living in poverty. Vulnerable to natural disasters such as cyclones, floods and earthquakes, Bangladesh is also susceptible to the effects of climate change. In the 2000s, the country had firm economic growth averaging six percent each year, and attention has been drawn to the country as both a destination for investment and as a market because of its scale of population, and ample, inexpensive labor force. To assist the government of Bangladesh in attaining its objective of becoming a middle-income country by 2021, JICA has provided assistance to achieve sustainable economic growth and poverty alleviation. To assist with economic growth, JICA continues to provide cooperation in building transportation, electric power and other infrastructure, and is also assisting in stimulating the private sector. To overcome the vulnerabilities of society, JICA is providing assistance in areas such as basic education, health care, rural development, governance and disaster management.