Child Drowning Prevention in Bangladesh

Context

Child drowning remains a critical and largely under-recognised public health crisis in Bangladesh. According to the Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey (2023), approximately 18,268 children aged 0–17 die from drowning each year, equivalent to nearly 50 deaths per day, exceeding mortality from pneumonia, malnutrition, and diarrheal diseases combined (WHO, 2025). The risk is particularly high in rural areas, where children frequently play or bathe near unprotected ponds and canals close to their homes.

Over 96% of drowning incidents occur in household ponds used for daily activities, and 80% happen within 20 metres of the home. Women, typically the primary caregivers, are often held responsible despite facing structural constraints such as limited childcare support, economic pressure, and lack of training.

Evidence also shows that most rescued children receive inappropriate or delayed first aid due to limited community knowledge. While drowning is highly preventable, awareness, first-response capacity, and coordination remain weak, and local beliefs attributing drowning to supernatural causes can further hinder prevention efforts.

The World Health Organization (2025) highlights proven prevention measures such as supervision, education, swimming instruction, and CPR training. However, Bangladesh’s National Drowning Prevention Strategy (2025) remains insufficiently integrated at the local level.

Goals

To reduce child drowning mortality through community-based awareness and capacity-building interventions on Sandwip Island, Bangladesh.

Activities

Activities may include:

• Increasing knowledge and awareness among primary caregivers and first responders in Sandwip Island on drowning risks, injury prevention, supervision practices, and safe rescue behaviours;
• Enhancing water safety awareness, first aid knowledge, and emergency preparedness among students and teachers through school-based programmes;
• Improving first aid, CPR, and emergency response skills among community-based first responders, including both women and men;
• Strengthening local monitoring, evaluation, and community coordination mechanisms to ensure sustained impact.

Myriad Canada is working with Disaster and Development Organization (DADO) on this project. DADO is an independent non-profit organization working on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, public health, and sustainable development. Its approach combines research and field implementation to strengthen resilience in vulnerable communities. DADO promotes a whole-of-society approach, bringing together government, civil society, and other stakeholders to integrate disaster risk reduction into development planning. Its work focuses on reaching disadvantaged and remote populations in highly disaster-prone areas.

Myriad Canada’s role is to carry out charitable activities across the globe in accordance with its charitable purposes. We control and monitor the use of funds and the progress of charitable activities to ensure that donations made to Myriad Canada have the greatest impact in accordance with donors’ expressed wishes. As a member of the Myriad Alliance with offices in Canada, the US, Europe, Asia and Australia, Myriad Canada has a vast international network and extensive practical expertise.

How to support this project?

By credit card: At the top right of this page, indicate the amount you wish to donate, and make the donation online by credit card. You will receive a receipt for tax purposes by e-mail just a few minutes after making the donation. It is simple and quick!

By cheque:

• Make your cheque out to Myriad Canada.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: We receive a lot of cheques! You must please indicate “Project D517 – Child Drowning Prevention in Bangladesh” in the memo line of your cheque to ensure that it is allocated correctly.
• Mail your cheque to: Myriad Canada, 1 Place Ville Marie, Suite 1670, Montreal, QC, H3B 2B6, Canada.

By Direct Deposit:

• For transfer instructions, please email or call Caroline Chaulet: caroline@myriadcanada.org or +1 438 300 8122.

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• Please email or call Caroline Chaulet: caroline@myriadcanada.org or +1 438 300 8122.

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