Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bandhu) started its journey in 1996. It is formally registered with Ministry of Social welfare and NGO Affairs Bureau since July 1997. All activities of the organization are in line with the guidance provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) and Ministry of Social Welfare (MOSW) of the Government of Bangladesh. The principles, activities and approaches of Bandhu correspond to national priorities for health care interventions and directly linked with current National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS response. Bandhu’s activities have significantly contributed to attaining Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by the government, particularly Goals 1, 3 and 6. Bandhu is now aligning its 4th Strategic Plan (2017-2021) to ensure that its program interventions on health and health rights, implemented through 37 well-equipped field health centers in 22 districts and 25 partner CBOs across the country, can add significant value to national response on health for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly 1, 3, 5, 16 and 17. For coordinating the national response to HIV/AIDS prevention among all KP/MARP, the National AIDS/STD Program (NASP) of the MOHFW provides leadership. Bandhu is providing supports to government’s response to health care needs of gender diversified population like other NGOs who cover other specific vulnerable groups of women, migrants, youth, children etc. Gender diversity population are also the part of Key Population (KP) and termed as vulnerable group needing focus for making Bangladesh free of AIDS and included in the program structure of the Bangladesh Country
Coordinating Mechanism(BCCM), which is chaired by the Honorable Health Minister. As a civil society group and a non-profit organization, Bandhu works towards promoting their health and social services as they are clustered within Most-at-risk population (MARP) for HIV/AIDS like migrant workers, sex workers, youth, children, transgender/hijra etc. Government also implements programs for this populace in other parts of the country (in non-overlapping manner). Over the last 20 years Bandhu has expanded its work in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health including HIV/AIDS and health rights and complementing and contributing to the national response in these areas which are under government focus.