Sightsavers marks 50th anniversary in Bangladesh

Staff Reporter :
Sightsavers, an international development organisation working to prevent blindness and promote disability rights, is commemorating 50 years of its health and inclusion partnerships in Bangladesh.
Over the five decades since it began work in the country, Sightsavers has partnered with government, local organisations, and communities, to transform lives. This includes supporting over two million cataract surgeries, 24 million eye examinations, around 20 million eye health treatments, and around 10,000 people with disabilities through education and vocational training.

This milestone celebration highlights Sightsavers’ firm commitment to end avoidable blindness, and promote equality of opportunity through empowering persons with disabilities and advocating for inclusive policies and programming in the country.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Sightsavers in Bangladesh, the organisation was joined by prominent figures from various sectors including the Planning Minister of Bangladesh, MA Mannan , and Social Welfare State Minister, Md. Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru MP, at a celebration event held on Wednesday in a city Hotel.

The CEO of Sightsavers, Dr Caroline Harper CBE, who was present at the event, said, “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to dedicated partners and staff members, and all those who have contributed to Sightsavers’ work in Bangladesh over the last 50 years.”

“I am so proud of what has been achieved over the past five decades – so many lives have been transformed by the work to improve eye health and boost disability rights. We will continue to collaborate to bring about even more transformative change and an inclusive society for all.”