‘Family planning services must be made more accessible’

Staff Reporter :

In Bangladesh, nearly 5 million women still want to use modern family planning methods but are not receiving services, experts said.

Experts believe that meeting this unmet need alone could prevent 1.2 million unintended pregnancies every year and reduce maternal deaths by one-third. They therefore stressed the need to make family planning services more effective and accessible for all.

These observations were shared on the final day of a three-day workshop held at a hotel on Tuesday in the capital. The workshop was organized by the Directorate General of Family Planning and attended by officials from various departments of the Ministry of Health, representatives from UN agencies, development organizations, and civil society. The event was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the international organization FP2030.

The workshop primarily focused on using smart advocacy methods to develop a clear and actionable roadmap for policy reforms, budget assurance, and service improvement in the family planning sector.

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Zobaida Begum, said that family planning is not just about birth control—it saves the lives of mothers and children. Smart advocacy will help policymakers make more precise, effective, and result-oriented decisions.

Ensuring predictable budgets, preventing stock-outs of contraceptive supplies, and expanding adolescent-friendly services are now essential priorities.

Director General of the Directorate General of Family Planning, Dr. Ashrafi Ahmad, said that investment in family planning is one of the most cost-effective public health investments. For every 1 dollar invested, Bangladesh can save 14 dollars. He added that maternal mortality could be reduced by 30 percent, and unintended pregnancies could be reduced by two-thirds.

He further stated that the new National Family Planning Strategy 2025–2030 is moving toward fulfilling the three core goals of FP2030—zero unmet need, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence.

UNFPA Bangladesh Representative Catherine Breen Kamkong said that although Bangladesh is a global example of a successful family planning program, progress has now slowed. Around 5 million women still want to use modern methods but cannot access them. Meeting this unmet need alone could reduce 1.2 million unintended pregnancies annually and cut maternal deaths by one-third. Adolescent pregnancies are also a matter of concern.

FP2030’s Managing Director, Sumita Banerjee, said that Bangladesh has taken commendable initiatives to expand equitable family planning services. But in the face of demographic and climate vulnerabilities, sustainable progress will depend on data-driven policies and community-based services. She added that workshop participants prepared a concise plan during the three-day discussions, outlining short-term goals, responsibilities, timelines, and progress monitoring mechanisms. They also set priorities for improving budgets, supply chains, service quality, and data management, in line with the country’s family planning commitments.