Bangladesh

Country Profile, Cultural Profile, and Case Study

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Welcome to Bangladesh! -- An introduction to "Jante Chai Jante Chai"

Welcome to Bangladesh! As a relatively new country that gained independence from West Pakistan in 1971, many aspects of Bangladeshi life are far from an era of modernization as experienced in more developed countries. Unfortunately, Bangladesh today is one of the most rural, overpopulated, and poor countries in the world. The country also adheres to strict conservative and traditional values and familial / community traditions. Children are seen as a necessity for community relations as well as a cheap source of labor. The population is also ill-informed about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). It is within this context that obstacles are encountrered in the struggle to encourage a wide range of better health practices, from reproductive health to nutrition. "Jante Chai Jante Chai," Benglai for "Would Like to Know, Would Like to Inform," is just one of many public service initiatives aimed at overcoming the cultural and economic obstacles to changing the health practices of the Bangladeshi people. "Jante Chai" specifically is a weekly radio program aimed at adolescents, designed to mold their behavioral practices for life into healthy ones by providing them with pertintent health information. Aside from direct behavior, the radio show also encourages parents to open up avenues of communication with their children about usually-taboo topics, such as puberty and sex. By helping adolescents understand the changes they go through, Jante Chai Jante Chai hopes the decisions of these adolescents will be more responsible and informed.

This webiste created by Matthew Taub, Class of 2005. E-mail: mt9838a@american.edu. This site was created as a final project for International Public Communication, Prof. RS Zaharna, American University, Spring 2004. Last Updated: May 4, 2004