Development workers on Tuesday emphasised the importance of continued partnership and innovation to address the menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls across Bangladesh, particularly in underserved communities.
They identified social stigmas, surrounding menstruation, as the primary barrier for establishing a period-friendly society.
These comments were made at a programme, organised by the Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management platform, which consists of more than 70 organisations, held in Dhaka鈥檚 Gulshan to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024.
Celebrated on May 28 in Bangladesh and globally, Menstrual Hygiene Day aims to raise awareness and break the silence around menstruation, ensuring women and girls can manage their periods safely and with dignity.
This year鈥檚 theme for the day was 鈥楾ogether for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld鈥�.
Speakers at the event highlighted that while menstruation was a natural and essential part of the reproductive cycle, it remained a taboo and was often considered a feminine issue.
MHM Platform chairperson Hasin Jahan underscored the need for collaborative efforts to advance menstrual health management in Bangladesh.
Mohammad Shamim Alam, joint secretary of the Policy Support Branch of Local Government of Bangladesh, reiterated the government鈥檚 commitment to improving menstrual hygiene management.
He emphasised the significance of the National Menstrual Hygiene Management Strategy 2021 and mentioned that the PSB was working on action plans based on this strategy.
Speakers also stressed the necessity of including everyone 鈥� men, boys, and transgender people 鈥� to create a period-friendly society.
Sharmin Kabir, founder of Wreetu, noted that girls and women often remained silent about menstruation and other issues due to societal pressures.
鈥業n this patriarchal society, few women can voice their opinions. We must include adolescent boys, men, and others to bridge the gap so that menstruation becomes a gender-neutral topic,鈥� she added.
Sheikh Daud Adnan, director of disease control and line director of communicable disease control at the Directorate General of Health Services, pointed out that cultural stigma, surrounding menstrual hygiene, forced girls and women to adopt unhygienic sanitation practices during menstruation.
The importance of environmentally friendly and sustainable reusable pads for better menstrual health was also highlighted at the event.
In recent years, several non-profit organisations have begun producing washable and reusable sanitary pads.
Shaathi Bangladesh Ltd empowers women by teaching them how to make reusable sanitary napkins and has installed 鈥楶ad Banks鈥� in 50 schools in the capital, providing girls with reusable cotton pads for free during school hours.
鈥榃e have addressed immediate menstrual hygiene needs and promoted long-term health benefits and environmental sustainability,鈥� said Mifrah Zahir, founder and chairperson of Shaathi Bangladesh Ltd.
She mentioned that a single pad by Shaathi cost Tk 60, recommending a pack of three for a single cycle, with each pad lasting a year, making the total annual cost just Tk 180.
Speakers concluded that menstruating girls and women required policy, systematic, and material solutions to manage their periods safely and with dignity.
