Global reductions in development assistance could reverse decades of health progress in Bangladesh and trigger nearly 23 million additional deaths by 2030 across 93 low- and middle-income countries, including 5.4 million children under five, according to a new study published in The Lancet Global Health. Researchers note that three out of four people worldwide live in countries where gains against infectious diseases and child mortality could stall or reverse if aid reductions continue. Aid cuts and global impactIn 2024, international assistance fell for the first time in six years. Severe defunding: A $32 billion (15.1%) cut between 2024 and 2025, followed by further reductions, could lead to 22.6 million additional deaths, including 5.4 million children under five. Implications for BangladeshFor Bangladesh, which has long relied on international support for key health interventions, projected aid cuts could have far-reaching consequences.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 27, 2026 19:16 UTC