Bangladesh
May 2024
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Estimated Australian ODA: 2024-25: $106.9 mil
Gross National Income Per Capita: USD $2,820 (2022)
Population: 171.2m (2022)
| Australian ODA | 2022-23 Budget Actual ($m)* | 2023-24 Budget Estimate ($m)* | 2024-25 Budget Estimate ($m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Programs | 30.6 | 30.8 | 30.8 |
| Regional | 3.1 | 5.3 | 5.5 |
| Global/other | 79.6 | 76.3 | 66.8 |
| Other Government Departments | 2.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 |
| Total ODA to Bangladesh | 115.7 | 116.2 | 106.9 |
*Due to rounding, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items in totals
Australia's development cooperation program in Bangladesh aims to reduce inequality and support the drivers of inclusive growth: education, gender equality, skills development and social protection.
Our humanitarian assistance for Rohingya and host communities provides inclusive life‑saving assistance such as food, water, sanitation, protection services and shelter. This assistance builds resilience to shocks and aims to increase self-reliance through education and skills development.
Strategic direction
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, we continue to support social protection reforms, skills development, and gender equality to drive inclusive growth. Australia will support Bangladesh's economic development, including via economic reforms to assist Bangladesh's transition to middle‑income status and realise its economic and trade potential.
Program highlights
- Australia enabled extremely poor children, especially girls and children with disabilities, to access quality basic education through our support to NGOs BRAC and UCEP.
- Australian humanitarian assistance contributed to emergency support, including food assistance, health services, protection, and basic shelter for over a million vulnerable Rohingya and host community women, men, girls, and boys.
- Australia supported 42,753 young people (including 3,480 with disabilities) with technical/vocational training.
- Australia is supporting social protection reforms to improve systems and governance to ensure that support reaches those most in need, including elderly and people with disabilities. In addition, we are supporting the Government of Bangladesh establish governance processes to provide efficient and effective services to 2312 NGOs.
- In 2023-24, Australia provided total of 255 scholarships to Bangladesh nationals, including 45 scholars who commenced Master’s level studies in Australia, and 210 professionals who attended short courses on TVET, policy and governance, environment and climate change, digital governance, health, and trade in Australian institutes.
- Australia is supporting the Bangladesh central bank's Cashless Bangladesh initiative and commercial banking sector with credit risk management through the IFC.
