CIPRB · Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh
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Drowning prevention

Every child deserves to grow up safe from drowning

Drowning is a leading killer of young children in Bangladesh. CIPRB’s research-led programmes keep children safe in communities and on the coast.

Donate NowExplore our programmes
CIPRB photoA SwimSafe survival swimming lesson
CIPRB photoMorning session at an Anchal centre
CIPRB photoResearchers and partners review the evidence
Photos: CIPRB and Wikimedia Commons contributors · credits in footer
20+years of public-health research and action, since 2005
50+districts of Bangladesh reached by CIPRB work
6M+people reached by programmes and research
3+home-grown innovations: Anchal, SwimSafe and death mapping
Figures from ciprb.org, November 2026. Years counted from CIPRB’s founding on 6 February 2005.
01The riskঝুঁকি

Water is
everywhere.
So is the
danger.

Ponds sit metres from most rural homes. Children slip in while parents work.

40children drown
every day
Most drownings happen between 9 am and 1 pm
02The evidenceগবেষণা

We measure
first. Then
we act.

Surveys, field trials and death mapping show what works. We share it with government.

Explore the research
185peer-reviewed papers
with CIPRB authors
2016papers per year · Europe PMC2026*
50+districts reached
6M+people reached
03Protectionপ্রতিরোধ

Watched.
Taught.
Rescued.

Three layers of protection, matched to a child’s age.

See how it works
WatchedAnchal · ages 1–5
10,000+children
TaughtSwimSafe · ages 6–10
7,00,000+children
RescuedSeaSafe · Cox’s Bazar
500+lives saved
04Giveঅনুদান

Keep a
child safe
tomorrow.

Your gift funds a caregiver, a swimming lesson or a lifeguard.

See our programmes →
Donate
Quick access

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Publications Working area map Notice board Events calendar Photo & video gallery Careers Tenders & RFQs Contact us
Who we are

Research that saves lives in Bangladesh and beyond

CIPRB is a leading public-health research and implementation organisation in Bangladesh. We find out why people are injured or fall ill, test what prevents it, and run the answers that work with government and international partners.

Explore: our four departments · programmes · where we work · latest research · FAQ

Vision

“Healthy and dignified life for all in a safe and productive environment.”

Mission

Produce evidence, pass on knowledge and skills, and promote joined-up services and technology for healthier lives.

  1. Founded on 6 February, after the Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey showed how many lives injuries were taking.
  2. Death mapping begins: communities and health staff review maternal and newborn deaths to prevent the next one.
  3. A new round of the national health and injury survey, with the NCDC of DGHS.
  4. Twenty years of CIPRB. Anchal and SwimSafe are now recognised in global drowning-prevention guidance.
Meet the managementAnnual reports ↗
Evidence to actionsince 2005, with government and partners
Management

The people who lead CIPRB

A Senior Management Team runs CIPRB day to day. An Executive Committee governs it, with guidance from Executive Advisers.

Profiles on ciprb.org ↗
Executive Director

Dr. Aminur Rahman

Leads CIPRB’s research and programmes. The Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth awarded him the HRH Prince Michael of Kent Certificate of Merit for 2024.

Contact the Executive Director’s office →

Senior Management Team

Dr. Salim Mahmud Chowdhury

Deputy Executive Director

Prof. Dr. M. A. Halim

Director, Reproductive and Child Health

Executive Committee ciprb.org ↗

Dr. Mohammed Mazharul Hoque

President

Dr. Salim Mahmud Chowdhury

General Secretary

Dr. Sailendra Nath Biswas

Treasurer

Dr. Mahfuzur Rahman

Member

Dr. Shahana Rahman

Member

Mrs. Gulshan Jahan

Member

Dr. Sanchoy Kumar Chanda

Member

Executive Advisers ciprb.org ↗

Prof. Dr. AKM Fazlur Rahman

Executive Advisor

Prof. Dr. Afsana Karim

Advisor
Our researchersMeet the research team on ciprb.org ↗

Names, roles and portraits as published on ciprb.org, November 2026. Profiles are managed in the CMS.

Our work

Four departments, one mission

Explore how each technical department turns research into action.

Also at CIPRBDisability-friendly health care ↗CIPRB Training Institute ↗Geriatric care ↗Innovations ↗

Programmes

Where evidence becomes action

All projects by department →
Drowning prevention

Anchal childcare centres

Trained caregivers look after 20 to 25 children aged one to five from 9 am to 1 pm, the hours when most drownings happen.

80%+lower risk of drowning
1–5years old
9–1the riskiest hours
  1. Arrival
  2. Learning & play
  3. Snack & hand-washing
  4. Water-safety stories
  5. Home safe

500 Anchal centres under Project Bhasa in Kalapara, Betagi and Taltoli.

How Anchal works →See it on the map →
Water safety

SwimSafe survival swimming

Children aged 6 to 10 learn 21 survival skills. A graduate can swim 25 metres and float for 30 seconds.

How SwimSafe works →
Lifesaving

SeaSafe beach lifeguards

27 SeaSafe lifeguards at Laboni, Kolatoli and Sugandha beaches in Cox’s Bazar. More than 500 people saved in a decade.

Meet the lifeguards →
Floods

FloodSafe

Life-support training, community meetings and the national poison helpline 16801 for flood-prone Dewanganj, Jamalpur.

See on the map →
Road safety

Safer roads in Dhaka and Chattogram

Roadside observation studies in both city corporations, and crash-injury follow-up with NITOR and Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

Read the research →
International Drowning Prevention & Research Department · IDPRD

No child lost to water.

Three layers of protection, matched to a child’s age. Young children are watched, older children learn to swim, and everyone on the beach has a lifeguard.

Safe hands in the riskiest hours

Most child drownings happen in the morning, when parents are working and children wander towards ponds. Anchal centres give children a supervised place to learn and play during exactly those hours. CIPRB’s research found that Anchal cuts a child’s risk of drowning by more than 80%.

Children per Anchal
20–25
Hours
9 am – 1 pm
Children cared for
10,000+
Project Bhasa
500 Anchals in Kalapara, Betagi, Taltoli

A typical morning illustrative

  1. Arrival and health checkThe caregiver collects children from nearby homes.
  2. Early learningSongs, rhymes, counting and play-based lessons.
  3. Snack and hand-washingHygiene habits built into the routine.
  4. Water-safety storiesChildren learn to stay away from open water.
  5. HandoverEvery child returned to a parent or guardian.

Figures from ciprb.org project pages (Bhasa, SwimSafe, SeaSafe), November 2026.

Working area map

Bangladesh, mapped by need

From the Dhaka head office, teams reach the river, coast and haor communities where risk is highest. Pick a department, then hover or tap a site.

Bangladesh12 named project sites. CIPRB work reaches 50+ districts.
Sites from ciprb.org project pages. Rivers simplified. Border: Natural Earth.
Infographics

The numbers, made plain.

Scroll through one day in Bangladesh, then five facts about what works. Hover, tap or tab to any mark to read its value.

Fact sheets on ciprb.org ↗
01 · The country

A country shaped by water

Seen from space, Bangladesh is a web of rivers running into the Bay of Bengal. Water is part of everyday life.

02 · The problem

0

people drown every day

That is one person every 29 minutes, along rivers, ponds and the coast.

03 · Who

40

of them are children

Four in every five. Orange pins are children, grey pins are adults.

04 · Where CIPRB works

Help reaches children where the risk is

Anchal centres, SwimSafe lessons and SeaSafe lifeguards, from the coast to the north.

05 · What works

The risk falls

Anchal, ages 1–580%+
SwimSafe, ages 6–1096%

Less risk of drowning for children in each programme. Keep a child safe →

Satellite image: NASA. Pins show the river and coast pattern, not exact places. Labelled sites are real CIPRB project sites.

What works

Two proven ways to protect a child

80%+ Anchal childcare ages 1–5
96% SwimSafe swimming ages 6–10

Drowning risk, out of 100 for a child without protection

Without
100
With Anchal
≤20
With SwimSafe
4

How much each one cuts a child’s risk of drowning, as measured in CIPRB research.

Source: ciprb.org, Anchal and SwimSafe
Sylhet division

Ending obstetric fistula, one woman at a time

26 tea gardens declared fistula-free.

Source: ciprb.org, End Obstetric Fistula project
Research output

185 peer-reviewed papers with CIPRB authors

Papers per year since 2016. The 2026 column counts papers indexed up to November.

Source: Europe PMC
SwimSafe

What a graduate can do

21survival skills learned
25 mswum without help
30 sfloating to rest and breathe

Graduates can also rescue someone from land, without entering the water.

Source: ciprb.org, SwimSafe
Survival Swimming Skills Project

Teaching children to stay afloat, at scale

52,508children taught
545instructors trained
245swimming venues
14districts
Source: ciprb.org, Survival Swimming Skills Project
View all figures as a table
TopicMeasureValueSource

Each infographic is a CMS item with its own download file, alt text and share link.

Research & publications

The research repository

Journal articles, reports and policy briefs from all four departments. Search by title, author, keyword or DOI.

    Real peer-reviewed papers with CIPRB-affiliated authors, from Europe PMC (29 of 185 indexed). On the live site the CMS keeps this list in sync.
    News & events

    Stories and updates

    All news on ciprb.org ↗

      Stories of change

      News media

      CIPRB in the news

      National newspapers and broadcasters report on CIPRB’s research. Each link opens the original story.

      All coverage on ciprb.org ↗
      Work with us · Notice board

      Jobs, tenders and notices

      The latest items CIPRB has published. Deadlines count down automatically, and an item is marked closed once its date has passed.

      Career page ↗ · Tender page ↗ · Email alerts
      Bangladesh in pictures

      The places we protect.

      Drag to turn the ring. From village ponds to the Bay of Bengal.

      Follow CIPRB

      Latest from our social channels

      Posts from Facebook, YouTube, X and LinkedIn appear here automatically through each platform’s official feed.

      Facebookfacebook.com/CIPRB.ORG
      CIPRB marked twenty years of public-health research and action with staff and partners.
      Official page feedFollow
      YouTube@ciprb-bangladesh
      Beach-safety advice for holidaymakers, and CIPRB experts on national television.
      Channel uploadsSubscribe
      X (Twitter)@CIPRB
      Every day about 50 people drown in Bangladesh, and 40 of them are children. Drowning is preventable. #DrowningPrevention
      Official account feedFollow
      LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/ciprb
      Vacancies, tenders and research news for professionals. New jobs also appear on the notice board.
      Official profile feedFollow
      Partners & donors

      Working together for impact

      All partners on ciprb.org ↗
      FAQ

      Frequently asked questions

      Short, direct answers about CIPRB, our programmes and how to work with us.

      Can’t find your answer? or write to us.

      What is CIPRB?

      CIPRB (Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh) is a public-health research and implementation organisation, founded on 6 February 2005. It produces evidence on injuries, health systems, maternal and child health and non-communicable diseases, and turns that evidence into programmes with government and international partners.

      About CIPRB → · Our four departments →

      Who leads CIPRB?

      Dr. Aminur Rahman is the Executive Director and leads the Senior Management Team. An Executive Committee governs CIPRB. Its President is Dr. Mohammed Mazharul Hoque.

      Meet the management →

      How does CIPRB prevent child drowning in Bangladesh?

      CIPRB prevents child drowning in three proven ways: Anchal community childcare for children aged one to five, SwimSafe survival swimming lessons for children aged six to ten, and SeaSafe lifeguards on the beach at Cox’s Bazar.

      See how each one works → · Where we work →

      What is an Anchal centre?

      An Anchal is a community childcare centre where a trained caregiver looks after 20 to 25 children aged one to five from 9 am to 1 pm, the hours when drowning risk in rural Bangladesh is highest. Children also get early learning and play.

      Anchal programme →

      What is SwimSafe?

      SwimSafe is CIPRB’s survival swimming course for children aged six to ten. Children learn 21 skills. To graduate, a child swims 25 metres, floats for 30 seconds and shows a rescue from land.

      SwimSafe programme → · See the figures →

      Where does CIPRB work?

      CIPRB’s head office is in Dhaka and its work reaches more than 50 districts. Current project sites include Kalapara in Patuakhali, Betagi and Taltoli in Barguna, Sherpur, Dewanganj in Jamalpur, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Chattogram and the four districts of Sylhet division.

      Working area map →

      How can I find CIPRB research and publications?

      Use the publications repository on this website. You can search by title, author or DOI and filter by year, department and type, such as journal article, report or policy brief.

      Search publications →

      How can I donate to CIPRB?

      You can donate online by bKash, Nagad, Visa, Mastercard or American Express through the secure donation form. Choose a one-time or monthly gift.

      Donate now →

      How do I apply for a job at CIPRB?

      All vacancies are published on the notice board under Jobs, with the deadline and job description for each post. Apply as described in the job notice before the deadline.

      Open job notices →

      Where are CIPRB tenders published?

      Tenders, requests for quotation and expressions of interest are published on the notice board under Tenders, with documents to download and the closing date.

      Open tenders →

      Can my organisation partner with CIPRB on research?

      Yes. CIPRB works with universities, government agencies and international organisations on joint studies. Send a short summary of your idea through the contact form and choose “Research collaboration”.

      Contact the research team → · Our partners →

      How do I contact CIPRB?

      Write to CIPRB through the contact form on this website and you get an instant email confirmation with a reference number. The head office is at House B-120, Road 7, New DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1206. You can also call +880 258814988 or email info@ciprb.org.

      Contact form →

      Contact us

      Get in touch with CIPRB

      Send a question about our research, programmes, media, jobs or tenders. You get an instant email confirmation with a reference number.

      Head officeHouse B-120, Road 7, New DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1206, Bangladesh
      Open in Google Maps ↗
      Office hoursSunday to Thursday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
      What happens after you write
      1. You get an automatic email with your reference number.
      2. Your message goes to the right team based on the topic.
      3. A staff member replies within two working days.
      🔒 Sent over HTTPS. Fields marked * are required.

      Stay informed

      Research, stories and events from CIPRB, once a month.