Eastern Bank PLC (EBL), as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, has partnered with Friendship, a leading NGO in Bangladesh, to expand access to essential healthcare and safe drinking water for vulnerable communities across the country, a press release said.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two organizations at EBL’s head office in Dhaka. Ahmed Shaheen, Additional Managing Director of EBL, formally handed over a cheque to Runa Khan, Founder and Executive Director of Friendship, marking the beginning of the collaboration.
Under Friendship’s Char Surgery Access Programme, the partnership will bring specialist surgical care to isolated river island communities in northern Bangladesh. More than 1,000 surgeries are planned under the initiative, aiming to restore sight, mobility, dignity, and quality of life for patients who often have little or no access to specialized medical treatment.
Leveraging Friendship’s floating hospitals—Emirates Friendship Hospital and Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital—along with satellite clinics and trained community medic-aides, the initiative will deliver life-changing procedures such as cataract surgeries, burn contracture repair, prolapse correction, Achilles tendon surgery, and other essential general surgeries.
Speaking at the event, Ahmed Shaheen said,“Friendship continues to play an instrumental role in humanitarian service through its unique fleet of floating hospitals. We are pleased to partner with Friendship to support initiatives that address healthcare gaps while also helping communities adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.”
On behalf of Friendship, Runa Khan said,“This partnership brings together two urgent priorities for vulnerable communities: access to essential surgical care and access to safe drinking water. By addressing both, we are not only improving health and quality of life but also strengthening resilience in communities living on the frontlines of exclusion and climate vulnerability.”
In addition to healthcare support, EBL will fund the installation of two multi-source Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in Shyamnagar, a cyclone-prone coastal region where freshwater sources are frequently contaminated due to salinity and climate-related impacts. Each plant will be capable of producing up to 1,000 litres of purified water per hour, serving around 400 families.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior representatives from both organizations. From Friendship: Muhammed Shameem Reza, Senior Director, Legal and CFO; Kazi Amdadul Hoque, Senior Director and Head of Strategy, Planning and Climate Action; Dr. Rafi Abul Hasnath Siddique, Deputy Director – Health; and Enamul Haque, Assistant Director Partnership Development; and
Ziaul Karim, Head of Communications and External Affairs; Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Company Secretary; Maj. Md. Abdus Salam, psc (Retd), Head of Administration; and Md. Maskur Reza, FCA, Head of Business Information Systems from EBL.
