Eastern Bank has partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Bangladesh to launch a scholarship programme aimed at building a skilled workforce of dementia caregivers, as part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility initiative.
Under the programme, 20 underprivileged youths will receive full scholarships to complete the National Skills Development Authority approved Dementia Care Level-3 course, a six-month training programme comprising 360 hours of professional instruction. The initiative is designed to create qualified, home-based dementia caregivers while opening up employment opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
A memorandum of understanding was signed at Eastern Bank’s head office recently to formalise the partnership. At the event, Eastern Bank Company Secretary Md Abdullah Al Mamun FCS handed over the scholarship cheque to Alzheimer Society of Bangladesh General Secretary Md Azizul Haque.
The initiative comes amid projections that dementia cases in Bangladesh will more than double, rising from 1.1 million in 2020 to an estimated 2.4 million by 2041. Organisers say the programme seeks to respond to the growing need for trained caregivers as the country’s population ages, while also strengthening the broader healthcare support system.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Md Abdullah Al Mamun said the scholarship programme was intended to remove financial barriers to skill development and contribute to building a more capable healthcare workforce. Md Azizul Haque said the support from Eastern Bank would play an important role in improving the quality of dementia care and increasing public awareness about the condition.
The bank said the programme aligns with its wider CSR focus on inclusive development, skills training and social wellbeing, particularly in areas where long-term demographic trends are creating new social and economic challenges.
