SNV Bangladesh

11/06/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫: 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞

"I've cooked over firewood all my life. Food tastes better this way."
That was one of the first comments we heard at a Cook Fair in Jhenaidah, Bangladesh. And honestly, it's not an unusual perspective.

Across rural Bangladesh, traditional biomass cooking is more than a cooking method. It's a habit passed down through generations. It's familiar. It's trusted. And for many households, it feels like the most affordable option. Yet behind that familiar smoke is a less visible reality.

Women and children spend hours exposed to household air pollution every day, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses, eye problems, and other health complications. At the same time, cleaner alternatives such as electric cooking often face scepticisms.
"Will the food taste the same?"
"How much will electricity cost?"
"Is it really worth the investment?"
These are valid questions.

What is interesting is that facts alone rarely change behaviour. Experience does. That is why Cook Fairs are proving to be such a powerful Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) tool.

At the fair, community members don't just listen to presentations. They cook. They compare. They taste. They ask questions. They watch power meters showing exactly how much electricity is being used. They see the numbers for themselves.

And something remarkable happens. The conversation shifts from assumptions to evidence.

Participants discover that electric cooking can be more affordable than they expected. They realize the taste difference is often negligible. Most importantly, they begin connecting everyday smoke exposure with the health risks faced by their families.
One cooking demonstration may influence dozens of households. But the real impact starts afterward, when people return home and continue the conversation with neighbours, relatives, and friends.

Behaviour change rarely happens through a single message.
It happens when trust is built, barriers are addressed, and communities are given the opportunity to experience alternatives firsthand. Sometimes, the path to a cleaner energy transition doesn't start with technology. It starts with a shared meal.

05/06/2026

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰.

On this 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, SNV reaffirms its commitment to supporting cleaner, greener, and more resilient communities through sustainable urban services, climate-smart solutions, and inclusive development approaches.

From improving solid waste management and promoting circular economy practices to strengthening climate resilience and reducing environmental pollution, meaningful change begins when communities, local governments, and partners work together.

এই বিশ্ব পরিবেশ দিবসে আসুন আমরা সবাই মিলে পরিবেশ রক্ষায় আরও সচেতন হই।
পরিষ্কার শহর, কম দূষণ এবং টেকসই জীবনযাপন নিশ্চিত করতে সম্মিলিত উদ্যোগই পারে ভবিষ্যৎ প্রজন্মের জন্য একটি নিরাপদ পৃথিবী গড়ে তুলতে।
প্রকৃতি বাঁচলে, আমরাও বাঁচবো।🌿

This year, let us move beyond awareness and take collective action to protect our environment, reduce waste, conserve resources, and build sustainable cities for future generations.
🌱 Every action counts.
♻️ Every partnership matters.
🌏 Every community deserves a healthier environment.

Together, we can turn challenges into opportunities for a more sustainable Bangladesh.

21/05/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬?

To sustenance the innovative and sustainable urban solutions, the 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜-𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐏𝐏𝐏𝐀), in continued collaboration with SNV and with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) Bangladesh, organized a two-day 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜-𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 (𝐏𝐏𝐏) for officials from 12 City Corporations under the Ministry of Local Government from 16–17 May 2026.

The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of city corporation officials to identify, structure, and advance PPP initiatives for improved urban service delivery. It also introduced participants to the recently developed 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐏𝐏 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞, prepared with technical support from SNV.

A total of 24 officials participated in sessions covering:
🔹 Foundations of PPP and urban service delivery challenges
🔹 Sectoral opportunities and institutional frameworks
🔹 Project identification and risk allocation
🔹 Financial and procurement fundamentals
🔹 Contract management and practical case-based exercises

At the end of the training, participants received certificates and left equipped with practical knowledge and tools to help drive effective PPP initiatives in their respective cities.

By investing in local government capacity today, Bangladesh is taking another step toward more resilient, efficient, and citizen-centered urban services tomorrow.

20/05/2026

🚮𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐣
Every growing municipality faces a common challenge — how to manage increasing waste while ensuring a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for its citizens. In, that challenge is now being addressed through collaborative planning and strategic action.

To build a more effective and modern solid waste management system, a two-day 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐒𝐖𝐌) 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 was held on 19–20 May 2025 under the “Transitioning to Sustainable Urban Water Cycles (SUWC) in Bangladesh” project funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN).

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐣 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐒𝐍𝐕 and ITN BUET jointly facilitated the sessions and, the workshop brought together municipality officials, technical experts, government departments, civil society representatives, journalists, and development partners to jointly shape a practical roadmap for sustainable urban waste management.

The discussions focused on:
✅ Understanding current waste management realities
✅ Identifying strategic priorities and challenges
✅ Strengthening Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approaches
✅ Developing realistic action plans and budgeting
✅ Defining stakeholder roles and responsibilities

Participants highlighted that coordinated efforts, effective PPP implementation, and stronger civic awareness can play a vital role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through improved waste management systems.

The workshop created a valuable platform for collaboration, innovation, and long-term planning toward building a cleaner, healthier, and climate-resilient Chapainawabganj.

14/05/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞? 𝐀 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐲𝐥𝐡𝐞𝐭

A two-day 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐒𝐖𝐌) 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 & 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 was successfully held at Sylhet City Corporation from 6–7 May 2026, bringing together city officials, private operators, educational institutions, and key stakeholders to co-develop a practical roadmap for sustainable urban waste management.

The workshop was jointly facilitated by SNV and ITN BUET, supporting collaborative planning aligned with the Solid Waste Management Rules 2021 and national LGD directives.

“To transform Sylhet into a clean and environmentally friendly city, fundamental changes in waste management are essential.” Abdul Quiyum Chowdhury, Administrator, সিলেট সিটি কর্পোরেশন also added, “Through stakeholder feedback, technical expertise, and coordinated initiatives, we are committed to establishing a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and climate-sensitive waste management system.”

Key focus areas included during planning and discussion:
✅ Review of current SWM challenges and practices
✅ Strategic prioritization for improved service delivery
✅ Action planning with clear implementation targets
✅ Defined roles and responsibilities of stakeholders
✅ Pathways toward circular and climate-sensitive waste solutions

The discussions created a strong platform for coordination and shared commitment, strengthening the foundation for a more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable waste management system in Sylhet.

13/05/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞: 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞-𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

Traditional mud stoves have been a part of rural cooking culture for generations—but the smoke they produce is silently damaging health every day. To raise awareness and promote safer alternatives, SNV organized a 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 with community people at Pelaid, Sreepur, Gazipur, where they gathered to learn about clean and affordable cooking solutions. This festive event brought together community members for a lively and engaging experiences.

From live cooking demonstrations with e-cook stoves to interactive discussions on clean cooking, the fair created a space where people could learn, share experiences, and explore healthier cooking alternatives in a fun and practical way.

Community members enthusiastically participated throughout the event, while local government representatives and SNV teams encouraged households to adopt cleaner, safer, and more affordable cooking practices. The excitement continued with a raffle draw, where participants won e-cookers and appliances, making the day both informative and memorable.

The event became even more meaningful with the presence of Local government officials including the Sreepur Upazila Youth Employment Officer and Sreepur Upazila Social Service Officer.
𝐈𝐬𝐦è𝐧𝐞 𝐑.𝐀.𝐂. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬, Country Director, SNV Bangladesh and 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐞, Clean Cooking advisory expertise from SNV Cambodia also grace the festive event with the community people.

Together, communities are taking meaningful steps toward healthier and smoke-free villages.

11/05/2026

𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭: 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟗𝟐 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐈𝐀𝐏 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝-𝟑 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬

The first Bangladesh call under Round 3 of the Innovations Against Poverty (IAP) programme has successfully concluded, welcoming iFarmer.asia and Tetra into the portfolio.

From 92 applications across the country, the programme selected two inclusive businesses with strong potential to improve the lives of low-income and climate-vulnerable communities through innovative, scalable solutions.

𝐢𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 connects smallholder farmers — nearly half of them women — to credit, quality inputs, advisory support, and markets across 42 districts of Bangladesh.

𝐓𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚 builds community-run water treatment systems in coastal areas where rising salinity has made safe drinking water increasingly scarce, placing women at the centre as micro-entrepreneurs and service operators.

Bangladesh is off to a strong start, laying the foundation for future partnerships that advance financial inclusion, climate resilience, and access to essential services.

Read the full story here:

The Innovations Against Poverty (IAP) programme has completed its first Bangladesh call under Round 3, selecting iFarmer and Tetra for co financing and technical assistance. From 92 applications nationwide, the two companies were chosen for their strong inclusive business models addressing agricultu...

10/05/2026

𝐀 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲
On May 4, 2026, Gazipur City Corporation, with technical assistance from SNV, convened a strategic workshop to develop its Five-Year Strategic Plan for Solid Waste Management (SWM).

Guided by the SWM Rules 2021 and recent directives from the Local Government Division (LGD), the workshop identified five strategic pillars for a more functional and sustainable waste management system:
• Professionalisation of services through improved operational standards and staff capacity
• Private sector engagement to drive efficiency and innovation
• People’s participation to strengthen community ownership and behavioural change
• Resource recovery through the 7Rs principle
• Digital database systems for data-driven monitoring and management

The workshop brought together government agencies, academic and technical institutions, private sector actors, civil society representatives, journalists, student leaders, and multiple departments of GCC, reflecting a strong collective commitment toward a cleaner and greener Gazipur.

This initiative marks an important step in GCC’s journey toward a sustainable circular economy and environmentally resilient urban development.

03/05/2026

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐬: 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚
On 28–29 April 2026, Cumilla City Corporation, with support from SNV and ITN BUET, convened a Solid Waste Management (SWM) Strategy and Planning Workshop—following guidance from the Local Government Division (LGD) under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.

The goal was simple: identify what’s not working and agree on what needs to change.

Participants from government, private sector, development partners, and communities came together to review current systems.
Several persistent challenges emerged:
• Inefficient waste collection
• Lack of source segregation
• Limited recycling capacity
• Continued reliance on open dumping and landfills

The discussion then shifted to solutions.

An integrated approach based on the 7Rs—refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, recovery, refinement, and residual management—was prioritized. Key actions include:
• Introducing household-level waste segregation
• Improving door-to-door collection services
• Expanding composting and recycling initiatives

But infrastructure alone is not enough.

Participants emphasized the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve digital data systems, and invest in behaviour change. Public awareness, community engagement, and accountable governance will be critical to making the system work.

Private sector participation and public-private partnerships were also highlighted as essential to improve service delivery and unlock investment.

Cumilla City Corporation will now finalize its SWM Strategy and Annual Plan for submission to LGD.

This is a practical step toward reducing pollution, improving public health, and building a more sustainable urban future.

01/05/2026

Happy International Labour Day!
Today we celebrate the strength, dedication, and resilience of workers everywhere whose hard work continues to shape communities, drive progress, and build a better future for all.