In the last two decades there has been considerable progress in Bangladesh in terms of participation of women in the labour force. During the period of 1996-2017, the national rate of female labour force participation increased from 15.8 to 36.3 per cent. While increased female labour force participation has contributed to economic growth and human development, gender-based violence at workplace undermines workplace productivity and profitability. At the same time violence at workplace impedes women’s dignity and their physical and mental well-being.

Cartoons have always been an effective medium to make strong and meaningful political statements which are easily understood by most people. For this, through this graphic novel, ActionAid Bangladesh has tried to portray the Rohingya refugee crisis, the violence and injustice against refugees through visual artwork.

The Annual Report is but a glimpse into the life of ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB). While it is not possible to do justice to the entire gamut of our activities in one report, we invite the reader to a brief tour of our world through these pages. Here you will find highlights of AAB engagements with women, adolescent girls, young people, marginalised communities and grassroots organizations.

The tradition of weaving cloth by hand is one of the richest aspects of Bangladesh culture and heritage. Handloom weaving is an important non-agricultural source of livelihood in Bangladesh, and it is the second largest source of rural employment after agriculture.

The ready-made garments (RMG) and the leather sectors are two key contributors in Bangladesh economy in terms of employment generation, production, export and foreign exchange earnings. The RMG sector is the first and the leather sector is the fifth major export earning source in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is now the second largest exporter in the global apparel market.