Manikganj Manikganj is a district located in central . It is a part of the division, with an area of 1,379 square kilometres. It is one of the nearest districts to Dhaka, only 70 kilometres away from the city. It bound by the district in the north, Dhaka district in the east, Faridpur district in the south, the Padma and Jamuna rivers Photo credit: BRAC and the districts of and Rajbari in the west. The main Ayesha Abed Foundation was started in 1978 as part of BRAC’s development interventions to organise, train and support rural women through traditional handicrafts rivers are the Padma, Jamuna, Dhaleshwari, Ichamati and General information Targeting the ultra poor Kaliganga. Specially targeted ultra Population 1,440,000 poor (STUP) members 450 This city is surrounded by rivers. As Unions 65 Others targeted ultra a result few of the sub-districts are Villages 1,873 poor (OTUP) members 725 affected by river bank erosion every Children (0-15) 860,000 Asset received 450 year. The people of Manikganj Training received 725 Primary schools 607 are mostly involved in agriculture. Healthcare availed 175 BRAC started its operation here Literacy rate 56% in 1974. Right now, most of Hospitals 7 Education BRAC’s core programmes, such NGOs 83 Primary schools 63 Banks 35 as microfinance, education (BEP), Pre-primary schools 225 health, nutrition and population Bazaars 98 Adolescent development (HNPP), targeting the ultra poor programme (ADP) centres 298 (TUP), community empowerment Community libraries (CEP), migration and human rights At a glance (gonokendros) 53 and legal aid services (HRLS). Apart from that, BRAC has also (as of December 2015) Health, nutrition established a few of its social and population enterprises here, directly helping Microfinance Health workers to create job opportunities for Village organisations 1,863 hundreds of women. (shasthya kormi) 59 Members 117,000 Health volunteers Borrowers 95,200 (shasthya shebika) 1,456 Baliati Zamindar Place, Fort at Progoti Fordnagar, tomb of Shah Rustam Small enterprise clients 7,425 and Gauranga Math are some of the tourist attractions in the district.

www.brac.net Community empowerment Community-based organisation (polli shomaj) 312 Union-based organisation (union shomaj) 39 Popular theatre 8

Migration Safe migration facilitation centre (SMFC) 1 Communications workers 7 Volunteers 65

Human rights and legal aid services Human rights and legal education (HRLE) shebikas 341 Legal aid clinics 9

Social enterprises Ayesha Abed Foundation 1 Sanitary napkin and delivery kits 1 Feed mills 1 Nursery 1 Sericulture 1

Although every effort has been made to include and verify the accuracy of relevant information in this fact sheet, users are urged to check independently on matters of specific interest. Report any discrepancies/suggestions to [email protected]. This document was last updated on 31 December 2015, is revised yearly and made available on www.brac.net/visitors.