INTRODUCTION
Bangladesh Friendship Education Society (BFES) is a registered trust established under the Trusts Act, 1882, and registered under the Registration Act, 1908, with the Directorate of Registration under the Law and Justice Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
As a a non-governmental organization it is registered with the NGO Affairs Bureau under the Prime Minister’s Office, in accordance with the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act, 2016. Established on March 3, 1993, BFES works to support health, education, and community development initiatives in rural Bangladesh. BFES also registered under Social Service Act 1961 from the Department of Social Service.
BFES is based in the remote village of Sreefoltola in Rampal
Upazila, Bagerhat District, serving communities across southwest Bangladesh.
Its project area is located within 15 kilometers of Mongla Port, one of the
country’s major maritime gateways.
Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, BFES has
developed and modeled three major initiatives in the greater Khulna region:
- Breast
Cancer Detection and Treatment Planning Center
A dedicated center serving women from more than 18 surrounding districts through breast cancer detection, clinical assessment, counseling, and treatment planning support. - Comprehensive
Village Health Database
A secure electronic health information system that includes village-level household and patient data, helping strengthen community-based health planning, follow-up, and research. - Digital
Health Services
A technology-enabled health service model combining telehealth, video consultation, and digital communication under a secure Microsoft-supported platform.
Logo Credential
The BFES logo was designed in 1993 by eminent Bangladeshi artist Professor Qayyum Chowdhury, one of the country’s most respected cultural figures and visual designers.
BFES STATEMENT
BFES believes that society is undergoing profound and
continuous change. These changes require a fundamental rethinking of how
healthcare, education, and community development systems are designed and
delivered, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The nature of change may vary from country to country,
especially between developed and developing nations. However, one reality is
universal: social and economic transformation is constant. Communities must
therefore gain access to knowledge, skills, and appropriate technologies to
adapt, participate, and benefit from a rapidly globalizing world.
BFES sees this period as an important opportunity to engage
with change in a practical and people-centered way. While many aspects of
transformation are already underway, BFES focuses its program actions on two
major forces shaping society:
- Globalization,
which is changing the way people, institutions, economies, and services
are connected; and
- The
growth of knowledge and the revolution in information and communication
technology, which are creating new possibilities for education,
healthcare, research, and community empowerment.
Through its work, BFES seeks to help rural communities
respond to these changes with dignity, inclusion, and practical access to
knowledge-based services.
AFFILIATION
∎ Registered with NGO Affairs Bureau: 10 March 1994 (ID- 819)
∎ Registered with the Department of Social Services: 8 September 2019 (ID- Bager-934/19)
∎ BFES has ‘ECOSOC Status’ with the United Nations since 2016
∎ BFES is the ‘Member Participant’ of the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (WHO GCM/NCD) since 2018
GOVERNANCE
BFES maintains a governance structure that combines long-term institutional stewardship with accountable operational management. The Board of Trustees serves as the custodian of the founding vision, values, assets, and long-term institutional direction of BFES. It provides strategic guidance and safeguards the organization’s mission in health, education, research, and community development.
In accordance with the organization’s approved constitution and relevant regulatory requirements, BFES also maintains a seven-member Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for operational governance, program supervision, administrative oversight, regulatory reporting, and coordination with relevant government authorities, including the NGO Affairs Bureau and the Department of Social Services.
Historical Leadership – The Founding Members
BFES Trust was founded with the vision and leadership of a group of distinguished professionals, academics, social thinkers, and development practitioners.
Mahmudul Haque
Professor, Institute of Fine Art, University of Dhaka
Founding President
Reza Salim
Health Communication Specialist
Founding Secretary & Director
Mohammad Kibria
Professor, Institute of Fine Art, University of Dhaka
Qayyum Chowdhury
Professor, Institute of Fine Art, University of Dhaka
Dr. Mizanur Rahman Shelley
Former State Minister
Former Head of Social Service, Government of Bangladesh
Rabiul Hussain
Architect
Rashiduzzaman Ahmed
Environment Specialist
Periodic Leadership
Over the years, the organization has also been guided by the periodic leadership and valuable contributions of respected national figures and professionals, including:
Syed Marghub Murshed
Dr. Mizanur Rahman Shelley
Debashish Nag
Current Leadership
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the highest governing authority of BFES. It is responsible for providing overall policy direction, strategic guidance, institutional oversight, and governance leadership. The Board ensures that the Trust’s activities including all programs, projects are carried out in accordance with its vision, objectives, legal obligations, and commitment to public welfare.
Reza Salim
Chair
Professor Dr. Nazmul Islam
Vice-Chair, Coordination and External Affairs
Sadat Ibne Mahmud
Treasurer
Md. Toufikul Islam
Community Affairs
Dr. Ummay Sani Jahan Rimi
Medical Services
PROGRAMS
BFES has developed a set of people-centered health and
community initiatives that combine grassroots engagement, digital innovation,
clinical service delivery, research, and institutional partnerships. Its major
programs are designed to improve access to affordable health care, strengthen
community-based systems, and serve rural and underserved populations in
southwest Bangladesh and beyond.
1. Amader Gram Digital Health Services
Amader Gram Digital Health Services is a social
innovation in health care in Bangladesh. The initiative is operated by a
networked medical hub located in the remote village Sreefoltola, Rampal
Upazila, Bagerhat District.
Through this program, people from different parts of
Bangladesh can access affordable primary health care support using information
and communication technologies such as mobile phone, text messaging, email, and
live video consultation. The service is open to all, irrespective of religion,
caste, age, gender, or social background.
The program connects patients with registered medical
officers and supports community-level health communication, referral guidance,
follow-up, and digital consultation. It aims to reduce the gap between rural
communities and essential health services through a secure and practical
digital health platform.
Website: https://www.swasthyasheba.net/
2. Breast Cancer eHealth Services & Research
Breast Cancer eHealth Services & Research was
developed to provide affordable, high-quality outpatient medical care for women
with breast problems. Based in Khulna city, the program offers a
“one-stop” approach to breast health assessment, diagnosis support, counseling,
and treatment planning.
For every new patient, the center creates an electronic
medical record, conducts a careful clinical examination, and performs breast
ultrasound using a high-resolution scanner. When a breast change appears
suspicious, the center recommends and performs a painless needle biopsy to
obtain tissue for pathological examination.
Patients with serious breast problems are reviewed through a
weekly international patient management telemedicine conference with
international experts. This approach helps strengthen clinical decision-making,
treatment planning, and continuity of care.
The program also supports research collaboration with local
and international experts and institutions to improve understanding of breast
cancer and its management among Bangladeshi women.
Website: https://www.agbcbd.org/
3. Amader Gram Cancer Care & Research Center
Amader Gram Cancer Care & Research Center is a
not-for-profit initiative established to address cancer and other
non-communicable diseases in southwest Bangladesh, in Rampal Upazila of
Bagerhat District. The initiative is aligned with Sustainable Development
Goal Target 3.4, which focuses on reducing premature mortality from
non-communicable diseases and promoting health and well-being.
AGCRC emerged from BFES’s long experience in rural health
innovation, digital health systems, breast cancer services, and community-based
research. It was developed with the vision of bringing city-level health care
facilities closer to rural populations.
The Government of Bangladesh has supported the development
of AGCRC through important institutional collaboration. Since 2016, the Health
Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has provided
annual financial support for operating costs and cancer detection services. In
2017, the Ministry of Social Welfare extended support for campus construction.
Following Planning Commission approval in 2019, the center’s Ambulatory Care
Clinic and Diagnostic Center buildings were constructed through the
Government’s Works Division and officially handed over to AGCRC in December
2024.
AGCRC represents a model of private philanthropy
strengthened by government support, with a mandate for service, education, and
research in cancer and other non-communicable diseases. The center aims to
provide accessible, affordable, and compassionate care while also serving as a
rural platform for health systems innovation, research, training, and community
engagement.
Website: https://www.agcancercare.org/
PARTNERS
BFES has a proud history of long-standing association, professional collaboration, and institutional partnership with national and international organizations. These partnerships have contributed significantly to the growth, learning, innovation, and development journey of BFES over the years.
With deep gratitude, BFES acknowledges the valuable support and contributions of its partners, including the Government of Japan, JICA, Japan Friendship Education Fund / Taneda Fund, AusAID, Government of the Netherlands, DFID, UK, Government of Switzerland, Global Knowledge Partnership, APC, International Telecommunication Union, Microsoft, University of Florida, Marquette University, Mayo Clinic, and the Government of Bangladesh, particularly through the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
BFES remains committed to strengthening partnerships that promote education, health, knowledge sharing, technology for development, environmental sustainability, and social innovation.
Contact Us
Get in Touch
We’d love to hear from you! Whether you have a question, need assistance, or just want to say hello our team is here to help.