N 2015, Bangladesh adopted the National Nutrition Policy with the vision of ‘improving the nutritional status of the people of Bangladesh, particularly women and children, with special emphasis on equity and human rights.’ Almost ten years later, it is worth asking: how far have we come, and where have we fallen short?
Nutrition is more than food. It is about ensuring that every child has the right start in life, that every woman enters motherhood in good health, and that every citizen is able to contribute productively to society. In many respects, Bangladesh has made commendable progress since independence — child mortality has declined, life expectancy has risen, and food grain security has improved. Yet nutrition remains a stubborn challenge, with malnutrition still affecting millions, particularly children under five and women of reproductive age.
The National Nutrition Policy 2015 was a milestone, aiming to integrate nutrition into health, agriculture, education and social protection systems. But nearly a decade on, implementation gaps, shifting development priorities and global shocks such as Covid-19 and climate change demand a renewed conversation.
Ìý
Strengths of the 2015 policy
THE National Nutrition Policy 2015 had several notable strengths. First, it offered a holistic, multisectoral vision. The policy rightly recognised that nutrition is not merely a health sector issue, but one requiring coordination across agriculture, fisheries, education, women’s empowerment, water and sanitation and social protection. This multisectoral approach mirrored global best practices, acknowledging that food systems, caregiving, and health services are deeply interconnected.
Second, the policy focused on vulnerable groups. It highlighted maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, as well as the needs of school-aged children, adolescents and the elderly — groups often overlooked in earlier nutrition strategies. This was a progressive step, moving beyond the narrow focus on children under five.
Third, the policy placed emphasis on behaviour change. Recognising that nutrition is not only about availability but also about practices, it stressed behaviour change communication, including the promotion of breastfeeding, complementary feeding, dietary diversity, and reducing reliance on junk food.
Finally, the policy demonstrated a commitment to rights and equity. By anchoring nutrition within a rights-based framework, it aligned with Bangladesh’s constitutional and international commitments. It also acknowledged gender inequality as a barrier to improved nutrition, which was forward-thinking in 2015.
Ìý
Shortcomings and challenges
DESPITE these strengths, the National Nutrition Policy 2015 fell short in a number of ways. Weak implementation mechanisms were a major barrier. While the policy outlined sectoral responsibilities, it lacked a strong accountability framework. Ministries often worked in silos with limited coordination or resource-sharing, and the role of the National Nutrition Council remained more symbolic than operational.
Another challenge was insufficient financing. Nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions require sustained investment, yet public spending on nutrition has remained low, fragmented and heavily reliant on donor-funded projects. Without dedicated domestic financing, sustainability has proved elusive.
The policy also suffered from limited integration into broader systems. While it envisioned nutrition-sensitive agriculture, school-based programmes, and social protection linkages, these remained scattered. For example, school feeding programmes are still not universal and often rely on pilot projects rather than systemic integration.
Data and monitoring gaps further weakened the policy. Bangladesh’s nutrition monitoring still relies heavily on periodic surveys rather than real-time data, making it difficult to track progress or adapt interventions quickly.
Finally, the policy did not anticipate emerging challenges. Since 2015, climate change has increasingly threatened food security through salinity intrusion, flooding and drought. Urbanisation has fuelled rising consumption of processed foods, leading to obesity and non-communicable diseases. The Covid pandemic disrupted school feeding, health services and livelihoods, further worsening malnutrition. The National Nutrition Policy 2015, framed in a pre-pandemic context, does not account for these realities.
Ìý
Where do we stand today?
BANGLADESH’S nutritional indicators today reflect a mixed picture. According to the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS 2022), stunting among under-five children has declined to around 24 per cent, a major improvement from over 40 per cent a decade ago. Wasting stands at 11 per cent, while underweight prevalence has fallen but remains a concern.
Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly anaemia among women and children, remain high. Meanwhile, overweight and obesity are increasing, especially in urban areas, creating a ‘double burden of malnutrition.’ These figures suggest that while progress is real, the pace is uneven, and the structural drivers of malnutrition remain deeply entrenched.
Ìý
Lessons from NNP 2015
ALMOST 10 years later, three key lessons emerge.
The first is that political will matters, but it must be institutionalised. Nutrition did receive attention at the policy level, but it was not embedded across ministries in a way that ensured accountability. Stronger mandates and cross-sector accountability are essential.
The second lesson is that community engagement is critical. Top-down programmes often failed to change household practices, but where community health workers and local organisations were engaged, results were more positive. Scaling up such approaches could help close the gap between policy and practice.
The third lesson is that food systems must be reimagined. The National Nutrition Policy 2015 largely focused on supplementation and behaviour change, but gave less attention to transforming food systems to ensure affordability, safety, and diversity. With rising climate pressures, this omission has become even more significant.
Ìý
Way forward
AS BANGLADESH approaches the sustainable development goals deadline of 2030 and prepares its next five-year plan, nutrition must once again be placed at the centre of development. A revised or renewed national nutrition policy should address existing gaps while reflecting today’s realities.
First, nutrition should be reframed as the foundation of human capital. It is not a welfare issue but an investment in productivity, education, and resilience. Malnutrition costs the economy billions annually in lost productivity and healthcare expenses, and framing it as a human capital issue will ensure stronger political prioritisation.
Second, robust multisectoral coordination must be established. The National Nutrition Council should be revitalised with clear authority, resources, and monitoring mechanisms. Each ministry should have nutrition-sensitive targets tied to budget allocations.
Third, Bangladesh must invest in domestic financing. Reliance on donor-driven projects must be reduced, with dedicated nutrition budget lines within the health and agriculture ministries to ensure sustainability.
Fourth, nutrition should be integrated into education and ICT agendas. Digital platforms can revolutionise nutrition education, whether through school curricula, mobile-based counselling for mothers, or awareness campaigns targeting youth. School meals should be expanded nationwide and linked to local agriculture, supporting both farmers and students.
Fifth, the double burden of malnutrition must be addressed. Policies must tackle obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases alongside undernutrition. Regulating ultra-processed foods, promoting physical activity, and ensuring urban food security are urgent needs.
Sixth, nutrition policies must be climate-proofed. With salinity, flooding, and heatwaves threatening crops and diets, nutrition strategies must be integrated with climate adaptation. Promoting climate-resilient crops, diversifying diets, and strengthening safety nets for affected communities are essential.
Finally, monitoring and accountability must be strengthened. Real-time nutrition data, digital dashboards, and community-based monitoring can help close the accountability gap. Civil society and the media should play a watchdog role.
Ìý
Towards a new nutrition vision
BANGLADESH has always been a country of resilience, overcoming famine, poverty and natural disasters. The progress in reducing child stunting proves that change is possible. Yet complacency is a luxury we cannot afford.
The National Nutrition Policy 2015 provided a valuable framework but fell short in implementation and adaptation. Now, with the twin challenges of climate change and a changing disease landscape, a renewed nutrition agenda is not a luxury — it is a necessity.
What Bangladesh needs is not another policy gathering dust on the shelves, but a bold national movement: one that unites government ministries, civil society, academia, the private sector, and, most importantly, communities themselves; a movement that treats nutrition not as charity, but as the bedrock of development.
If the country is to achieve its vision of becoming an advanced economy, it must first ensure that every child, every mother, and every citizen has access to adequate, safe and nutritious food. The decade-old National Nutrition Policy 2015 opened the door; now it is time to walk through it — with urgency, with accountability and with vision.
Ìý
Musharraf Tansen, a former country representative of the Malala Fund, is a development analyst.
