What works in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has implemented several large-scale programmes demonstrating progress in education, rural development and digital service delivery. The Female Secondary School Assistance Programme cut girls' dropout rates from 14.7% to 3.5% and raised girls' secondary enrolment share from 30% to 48%, while a 24-year longitudinal study found age at first marriage increased by one year. The Union Digital Centres network has established 5,000+ community centres delivering 150+ e-services to 76.8 million people, reducing service time by 85% and costs by 63%. Additionally, innovative programmes like the Grameen Village Phone Programme financed 278,570 women operators to provide rural telecommunications access, while Infolady trained 50+ women as info-entrepreneurs reaching 50,000 households weekly. However, these practices demonstrate outcomes in specific sectors (education, ICT access, services) and do not quantify broader national progress across health, poverty, or economic indicators.