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| UNESCO Bangladeshi National Commission | |
|---|---|
| Name | UNESCO Bangladeshi National Commission |
| Native name | বাংলাদেশ ইউনেস্কো জাতীয় কমিশন |
| Formation | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Region served | Bangladesh |
| Parent organization | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
UNESCO Bangladeshi National Commission The UNESCO Bangladeshi National Commission is the official liaison body between Bangladesh and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It coordinates national implementation of UNESCO conventions and mediates between ministries such as Ministry of Education (Bangladesh), Ministry of Cultural Affairs (Bangladesh), and international agencies including United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Children's Fund. The Commission engages with institutions like University of Dhaka, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh National Museum, and networks including the Asian Development Bank and World Bank.
Founded after independence in 1971, the Commission emerged amid post‑war reconstruction alongside actors such as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and institutions like Government of Bangladesh. Early collaboration occurred with International Monetary Fund missions, UNESCO World Heritage Centre advisories, and cultural bodies such as Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. During the 1980s and 1990s the Commission worked with programs from United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization offices, interacted with figures like Kofi Annan and Irina Bokova, and supported heritage nominations referencing Sundarbans and Paharpur, engaging scholars from University of Chittagong and Rajshahi University. In the 2000s the Commission participated in global initiatives linked to the Millennium Development Goals and later the Sustainable Development Goals, coordinating with agencies such as World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization. Recent decades saw partnerships with Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research and engagement with campaigns led by Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan stakeholders.
The Commission's governance mirrors models used by national commissions of France, India, and Japan. Its leadership typically includes a Chair appointed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and an Executive Secretary coordinating desks for sectors like UNESCO World Heritage, UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and Man and the Biosphere Programme. The secretariat works with advisory panels drawing experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, BRAC University, Jahangirnagar University, and institutions such as Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee and Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development. Committees liaise with UN bodies including United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and regional entities like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Core functions include advising state actors on UNESCO conventions such as the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, nominating sites like Bagerhat and Sundarbans, and administering programs for teachers from Bangladesh Teachers' Association and students at Bangladesh Education Board. Activities span heritage conservation with partners like International Council on Monuments and Sites, literacy initiatives aligned with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization literacy programs, and scientific cooperation with Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Bangladesh Meteorological Department. It organizes festivals with Bangladesh Film Development Corporation, supports archives linked to Bangla Academy, and advances gender and youth projects in concert with UN Women and Plan International.
The Commission maintains partnerships with multilateral institutions including United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and bilateral partners such as the British Council, Embassy of France in Bangladesh, Japan International Cooperation Agency, United States Agency for International Development, and German Federal Foreign Office. Regional cooperation involves South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Asia-Pacific Centre for Education for International Understanding, and networks like the International Council of Museums. It collaborates with research centers including International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Centre for Policy Dialogue, and Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies and connects with cultural NGOs such as Akhon Samoy Cinema and Khelaghar.
National programs include heritage nomination support for sites like Lalbagh Fort and Somapura Mahavihara, literacy campaigns linked with National Curriculum and Textbook Board (Bangladesh), teacher training initiatives with Teachers Service Commission, and biosphere projects aligned with Sundarbans Reserve Forest stewardship. The Commission runs youth forums collaborating with Bangladesh Scouts and promotes creative industries through Bangladesh Film Development Corporation and Bangla Academy fellowships. It has implemented disaster risk reduction projects with Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and climate adaptation pilot projects referencing Cyclone Sidr and Cyclone Aila recovery programs.
Funding streams derive from national budget allocations coordinated by the Ministry of Finance (Bangladesh), project grants from UNESCO, and support from donors such as the European Union, Japanese International Cooperation Agency, and philanthropic foundations like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Resource partnerships include technical assistance from International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and equipment donations facilitated by embassies including the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh and Embassy of the United States, Dhaka. The Commission leverages human capital from universities like North South University and Independent University, Bangladesh and volunteer engagement through Voluntary Service Overseas.
The Commission has influenced nominations to the UNESCO World Heritage List and contributed to literacy and teacher training tied to the Sustainable Development Goals. Its conservation work has affected sites such as Ruins of Vikramashila and Mahasthangarh. Criticism includes debates over transparency raised by civil society groups like Transparency International Bangladesh and scholars at Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, concerns by heritage activists regarding development pressures in Sundarbans, and occasional tensions with ministries over prioritization highlighted in reports by Asia Foundation and think tanks including Institute of Governance Studies (BRAC University). Monitoring bodies such as Auditor General of Bangladesh and international evaluators including United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services have examined aspects of program delivery.
Category:Organizations based in Bangladesh