Assasuni, Satkhira — 20 May 2025
An NGO Coordination Meeting was held on 20 May 2025 in Assasuni, bringing together key government officials and representatives from a multitude of development organisations working in the region.
Showcasing ENGAGE’s Work in Pratapnagar
A significant highlight of the session was a presentation by Sabbir Ahmed, Living lab Manager, representing SAJIDA Foundation. He provided a comprehensive overview of the ongoing and planned project activities in Pratapnagar, detailing the research to experimentation initiatives currently underway. The presentation explained why Pratapnagar was chosen as a focal area and described how the ENGAGE project is working in collaboration with local farmers, entrepreneurs and union council showcasing their involvement in agroecological intervetions.
Following the presentation, the UNO encouraged open dialogue and invited questions from attendees. A key discussion point emerged around whether SAJIDA Foundation’s agro-processing and agricultural development plans would remain confined to Pratapnagar or expand to other areas.
Call for Collaboration and Future Focus
Rafiqul Islam, the Upazila Social Services Officer, appreciated SAJIDA Foundation’s research-based approach, noting that such initiatives are unprecedented in the region. He urged all stakeholders to actively support this initiative. He further emphasised the urgent need for research on women’s health in saline-affected areas, highlighting that women in several unions of Assasuni are experiencing complex health issues due to high salinity in water, encouraging future research in this area. 
Notably, Nazmus Sakib, the Upazila Agriculture Officer, shared that his department is planning to scale up sunflower cultivation in Pratapnagar. He explored the possibility of collaboration on this initiative and discussed areas where joint support could strengthen the impact.
Other NGOs participated in the dialogue, expressed their interest to learn more about ENGAGE’s approach, value addition and market linkage approach and ask if there are opportunities for collaboration especially on the value addition and market linkage initiatives.
In her closing remarks, UNO Krishna Roy thanked SAJIDA Foundation for their meaningful research contributions and provided guidance on expanding their scope to address women’s health in saline-prone regions. She also stressed the importance of sharing research findings with relevant government departments to ensure effective policy and programme integration.
This meeting marks a significant step toward strengthening collaboration between the government and NGOs in Assasuni, with a shared commitment to sustainable development, community resilience, and research to action.