City Bank and Oxfam in Bangladesh have partnered to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for underserved tea garden communities through climate-resilient solutions.
The initiative focuses on the safety, health and dignity of women and girls. It aims to address critical WASH challenges in tea garden communities and strengthen their resilience to climate change, reads a press release.
Mashrur Arefin, managing director & CEO of City Bank, and Anil Pant, interim country director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations at a ceremony at City Bank Center.
Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, additional managing director & CFO; Kazi Azizur Rahman, additional managing director & CIO; and Shahriar Jamil Khan, head of Brand & Marketing of City Bank, along with Mahmuda Sultana, programme management advisor; and Halima Akhter Mitu, head of Finance, Risk and Compliance of Oxfam in Bangladesh, and other senior officials from both organisations attended the signing ceremony.
The partnership combines City Bank’s broader CSR priorities with Oxfam’s expertise in gender justice, climate resilience and community-led development to support locally owned and sustainable solutions for tea garden communities.
Mashrur said, “Access to safe water and sanitation is fundamental to health and dignity. This partnership brings together two of City Bank’s key CSR priorities—women and the environment—to deliver practical, climate-resilient solutions that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of tea garden communities.”
Anil said, “Women tea workers are at the heart of Bangladesh’s tea industry, yet many tea garden communities still face persistent gaps in safe water and sanitation, compounded by growing climate risks. This partnership is about more than infrastructure—it is about dignity, rights and resilience. With City Bank, we aim to support climate-resilient, community-led WASH solutions that improve everyday life and enable communities to sustain change for the long term.”
