This Ramadan, UNICEF is launching a large-scale campaign to raise funds for malnourished children in Bangladesh. For the first time, the fundraising campaign is taking place inside Bangladesh, appealing to the growing affluent class who are more able to donate towards helping children in their own country. With a strong economy, Bangladesh reached lower-middle-income country status in 2015 and aims to become an upper-middle-income country by 2031. At the same time, the country’s economic progress and success mean that Bangladesh receives less foreign aid. Read More: Multiple crises set to plunge more children into poverty, ILO and UNICEF report warns “The economic progress in Bangladesh has created enhanced opportunities for us to take care of the underprivileged section of our population and to ensure that we leave no one behind. The success of Bangladesh needs to be reflected through the children, who are our future and who also depend on us for their education, healthcare and well-being,” said Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh. UNICEF – which is funded entirely through voluntary contributions – has been on the ground in Bangladesh for over 70 years, saving children’s lives and protecting children’s rights. Globally, UNICEF has helped save more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. The UNICEF Ramadan fundraising campaign is a first-ever invitation from UNICEF to people in Bangladesh to let their good deeds echo for malnourished children around the country together with UNICEF. Read More: UNICEF wants investment in world's first child-focused climate risk financing solution The most common forms of malnutrition are stunting (low height for age) or wasting (low weight for height). Bangladesh has made impressive progress in addressing malnutrition. Stunting was reduced from 42 per cent in 2013 to 28 per cent in 2019. Yet, over five million Bangladeshi children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition. Stunting is caused by chronic or recurring undernutrition, and the damage done to a child’s body and brain by stunting cannot be reversed. It drags down performance at school and later at work, and puts a child at a higher risk of dying from infectious diseases. Wasting is an acute form of undernourishment which can be fatal. It is characterized by recent and severe weight loss which is often caused by lack of food and by disease. Children born to the poorest families are more likely to suffer from stunting and wasting. And when disasters such as floods strike, these already vulnerable children are at heightened risk. Read More: Heatwaves to impact almost every child by 2050: UNICEF report “There is no greater cause than championing children’s health, education and rights. This Ramadan, UNICEF invites the people of Bangladesh to join hands with UNICEF to help the most vulnerable children in their own country,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh.

The High Court has asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) for information on the number of students at private universities availing benefits as offspring of freedom fighters, or stipends as poor or under-privileged since 2010. Besides, the court also asked the UGC to report how much money has been allotted for research by the private universities since 2010.    UGC will have to submit the information to the High Court within the next 60 days. The bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order with a rule on Monday. In the rule, the court also wanted to know why the inaction of the government in implementation of a law to facilitate 6 percent of the student body at private universities from poor backgrounds should not be declared illegal.  Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, counsel for writ petitioners the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said: "According to section 9(4) of the Private Universities Act, 6 percent seats should be reserved for the children of  freedom fighters and meritorious students every year. According to section 9(6) of the law, a certain portion of the budget fixed by the University Grants Commission should be kept for research in the budget of private universities every year. These accounts must be sent to UCG. The UGC will later send the report to the ministry, and the ministry will send it to the parliamentary committee. They will take necessary action. We have tried to find out on behalf of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, and our investigation found that since 2010, no private university has met these requirements." READ: HC orders probe on ‘disappearance’ of birth and death registration info The education secretary and UGC chairman are among those made respondents of the rule and they have to explain to the court within the next four weeks.    The court has also fixed August 14 for the next hearing on the writ. Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar stood for the state. Architect Mubasshar Hussein, on behalf of CAB, filed the writ petition last week.