Receiving the JICA Advisory Mission

From May 5 to 8, 2025, the CBNS-II Project received the JICA Advisory Mission to Bangladesh. The mission was conducted in collaboration with the Project Assistance Committee, a group of distinguished experts in the nursing field in Japan, who have provided valuable guidance to the Project. This time, the mission was joined by three prominent committee members:

They were accompanied by the Director and Program Officer of the Human Development Department of JICA Headquarters. During the visit, the delegation engaged in a variety of activities including site visits to the target nursing colleges and collaborative hospitals, a guest lecture in the JICA Chair^* at the University of Dhaka, a meeting with the Election Commission of the Bangladesh Nurses Association (BNA), participation in mutual learning activities among Master Trainers (MTs) in Chattogram, and a seminar at the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery (DGNM). In addition, before, after, and in between these activities, the delegation actively engaged in exchanges of opinions and information with the CBNS-II Project.

Originally scheduled for July 2024, the mission had been postponed due to the uprising in Bangladesh. At that time, progress on key issues such as the expansion of nursing positions and career paths had stalled. The Project had sought the support of the Project Assistance Committee to help address these challenges. Since the uprising, however, the situation surrounding nurses in Bangladesh has undergone major changes. Driven in part by the growing movement among nurses to demand their rights, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has begun actively exploring reforms to strengthen career paths for nurses, with increasing momentum for dialogue and policy development.

It seems that conducting the Advisory Mission at such a critical time was effective in further supporting the development of the nursing sector in Bangladesh. In particular, the meeting with the BNA Election Commission just before the first leadership election in approximately 20 years provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the future vision for a professional nursing association. Moreover, the participating experts shared their own firsthand experiences of how the nursing sector in Japan was rebuilt and strengthened from postwar scarcity in various activities, offering meaningful insights for local counterparts, who often feel constrained by a lack of resources. The delegation’s message to MTs, that “an ideal MT is someone who can learn from everything - not only from students but also from fellow trainers”, also left a strong motivational impact. In addition, during the seminar at DGNM, participants expressed a desire to deepen their learning and develop new activities inspired by the expert presentations.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the mission members for their dedication and energy throughout the demanding schedule, including one-day trips to the provinces. The CBNS-II Project will build on the insights and inspirations gained through the visit to further enhance its activities and results.

* A JICA program to share Japan’s experiences in modernization and development with partner countries.