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Bangladesh will begin a year-long doorstep contraceptive campaign on December 1. The push seeks to slow rising births and close long-standing gaps in family planning access.
Dhaka,Oct 7, 2026 21:42 IST
Bangladesh will launch a year-long campaign from December 1 to make contraceptives available at people’s doorsteps as part of a government push to contain population growth, Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain said on Wednesday.
The campaign, to be launched by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman under the slogan "no more than two children, one is better", aims to expand access to contraceptive methods and provide people with information and counselling on family planning.
"Contraceptives will be made available at people’s doorsteps alongside the required advice," Hossain said. He said family planning has emerged as "our weakest area as we could not do much in this regard", and the new campaign would seek to address the issue through intensified efforts over the next year.
"Unfortunately, the birth rate, which was once low, has increased by more than 2 per cent," he said. "We will not just talk about it; rather, we will also supply and deliver all kinds of (contraceptive) materials such as tablets to people’s doorsteps," Hossain added.
The announcement comes as Bangladesh seeks to revive momentum in its family planning programme. According to Worldometer, Bangladesh’s population is estimated at more than 178.42 million, making it the world’s eighth most populous country. The country has a land area of about 148,460 square kilometres. Its population accounts for around 2.1 per cent of the world’s total, while the average population density is about 1,366 people per sq km, the website said.
The government’s move comes a year after the UN Population Fund highlighted both the achievements and challenges in Bangladesh’s family planning programme. In a report last year, the UNFPA said that for every USD 1 invested in family planning, Bangladesh could save USD 14 in health and social costs, prevent 30 per cent of maternal deaths and reduce unintended pregnancies by two-thirds. "Bangladesh’s family planning journey has been marked by extraordinary success, with the use of modern contraception methods soaring from 8 per cent in the 1970s to 64 per cent," it said, while adding that progress had recently stagnated and left about five million women in the country with an unmet need for contraception.
Overall, the campaign is aimed at taking contraceptives, advice and counselling directly to households as Bangladesh tries to tackle a rise in the birth rate and address gaps in access to family planning services.
With PTI Inputs
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