Bangladesh’s Longest-Running Telehealth Program Faces Shutdown Amid Funding and Infrastructure Challenges

Bangladesh’s telehealth program is closing due to funding cuts and poor infrastructure. Unpaid staff struggle to keep limited centers running amid frequent internet and power outages. With low government healthcare spending and political instability, millions in rural areas face losing vital access to specialist medical care.

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GiveDirectly and Bangladesh Government Pilot AI-Powered Mobile Targeting to Improve Poverty Relief

GiveDirectly partnered with Bangladesh’s government to pilot MobileAid, an AI-driven method using anonymized mobile phone data to identify low-income households quickly and cost-effectively. The approach outperformed community targeting and rivaled traditional surveys, enabling faster, cheaper poverty relief through mobile money transfers. Challenges for scaling include regulatory approvals, telecom cooperation, and building trust, highlighting the need for combining technology with community outreach. MobileAid shows strong potential for rapid social protection, especially in disaster response, by providing timely, accurate targeting aligned with real-world needs.

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Bangladesh Introduces Three-Tier Licensing Framework to Reform Telecom Sector Amid Industry Debate

Bangladesh’s new three-tier licensing framework aims to modernize the telecom sector and improve regulation, but it faces mixed reactions. While major mobile operators support the move, mid-level domestic firms warn it favors foreign players and threatens local businesses. The government is investigating past corruption, with hopes of greater transparency ahead.

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