Food Safety Programme of FAO Bangladesh - in partnership with Bangladesh Food Safety Network (BFSN) - observed the 8th Global Handwashing Day 2015 in Dhaka, and 10 other districts across the country on Thursday, 15 October 2015. The event in Dhaka was held at the field of Rajdhani High School near the Bangladesh Parliament, in the presence of Mr. Hasanul Haque Inu, Honorable Minister of Information, Government of Bangladesh.

Worldwide, approximately 2.2 million children aged under 5 years die each year from diarrhoeal diseases and pneumonia. Research shows, handwashing with soap can sharply reduce the incidence of diarrhoea among children, by up to 30%.

Global Hand Washing Day aims to motivate children to practice and share healthy handwashing practices, and to take on the role of handwashing ambassadors to their families.

A 4-page leaflet on food safety “key messages” was distributed among the 300 children present. The event attracted considerable media interest given the presence of the Information Minister, with coverage in subsequent news bulletins.