Bangladesh Girls Guide Association

Bangladesh Girls Guide Association an organisation of the Girl Guides, active since 1928. It became a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1973 and is now the country's largest national organisation offering leadership training to girls and young women. The aim of the association is to develop the full potentials of girls, and encourage them to actively participate in the life of their community. The association uses a eight-point programme for development of mind, character, physical fitness, outdoor enjoyment, relationship with people, creativity, readiness to help others, and homecraft skills. The trainee Girl Guides are divided into three classes: Yellow Birds (age between 7 and 11 years), Guides (between 12 and 16 years) and Rangers (between 17 and 24 years).

Members of the association campaign to grow more food, launch nutrition projects, pilot fish culture and conduct poultry related activities. Rangers are involved in community development in rural areas, where they render services relating to preventive health care, sanitation, and elementary education in poor families. They also distribute medicine and relief materials, cooperate with other organisations in helping people in times of natural calamities. The association operates a child centre and a home for the vagrant girls and offer vocational skills training to help the disadvantaged girls in achieving self-sufficiency through income generating activities. It is involved in regular tree planting and training on specialised subjects like block and batik print, sewing, making and arranging artificial flowers, karate etc. The association operates its activities in Bangladesh through its divisional offices in 7 major cities and annual district and regional camps. It also organises radio and television programmes for each age group and publishes a quarterly, some periodicals and a newsletter. [S M Mahfuzur Rahman]