WOW in Bangladesh

December 2017 saw the first in a series of WOW Chapters to be held across Bangladesh – the WOW Dhaka: Chittagong Chapter.  The event was organised by the British Council, South Bank Centre, Bonhishikha and SPaRC.  

Community events in nature, these chapters ran up to a WOW festival. The events provided a platform to celebrate women and girls and explore the obstacles which prevent them from achieving their full potential. In turn, they help to inform the design of the upcoming WOW festival. 

For more information on WOW Dhaka: Chittagong Chapter, click here.  

In July 2018 we held WOW Dhaka: Rajshahi Chapter.  The event was organised by the British Council, South Bank Centre and Centre for Communication and Development (CCD Bangladesh). 

Community events in nature, these chapters ran up to a WOW festival. The events provided a platform to celebrate women and girls and explore the obstacles which prevent them from achieving their full potential. In turn, they help to inform the design of the upcoming WOW festival. 

For more information on WOW Dhaka: Rajshahi Chapter, click here. 

In August 2018 we held WOW Dhaka: Khulna Chapter.  The event was organised by the British Council, South Bank Centre and Rupantar, a non-government organisation (NGO) focused on social transformation.  

Community events in nature, these chapters ran up to a WOW festival. The events provided a platform to celebrate women and girls and explore the obstacles which prevent them from achieving their full potential. In turn, they help to inform the design of the upcoming WOW festival. 

For more information on WOW Dhaka: Khulna Chapter, click here. 

In September 2018 we held WOW Dhaka: Sylhet Chapter.  The event was organised by the British Council, South Bank Centre and the JAAGO foundation. 

Community events in nature, these chapters ran up to a WOW festival. The events provided a platform to celebrate women and girls and explore the obstacles which prevent them from achieving their full potential. In turn, they help to inform the design of the upcoming WOW festival. 

For more information on WOW Dhaka: Sylhet Chapter, click here. 

In October 2018 we held WOW Dhaka: Rangpur Chapter.  The event was organised by the British Council, South Bank Centre and the Centre for Communication and Development (CCD Bangladesh).

Community events in nature, these chapters ran up to a WOW festival. The events provided a platform to celebrate women and girls and explore the obstacles which prevent them from achieving their full potential. In turn, they help to inform the design of the upcoming WOW festival. 

For more information on WOW Dhaka: Rangpur Chapter, click here. 

The British Council, in partnership with the WOW Foundation, brought WOW for the first time to Dhaka on 5 to 6 April 2019 at the Bangla Academy premises. The festival featured panel discussions, pop-up performances, WOW Bites, 'Under 10’s Feminist' corner, workshops, speed mentoring, a marketplace and a musical concert.

For more information on WOW Dhaka 2019, click here. 

Strategic partners British Council, CCD Bangladesh and Mongol Deep Foundation organised WOW Virtual Bangladesh 2021, Bangladesh’s first ever online festival focusing on women and girls from 29 to 30 July 2021 at 9.00 p.m. The two-day festival celebrated women and girl’s voices across the country, living in or beyond the margins of society and featured counter narratives of women who do not belong to the majority or mainstream but venture out in paths less travelled and succeed in paving new ways for gender equality. 

For more information on WOW Virtual Bangladesh 2021, click here. 

From 26 to 28 May 2022, we celebrated WOW Virtual Bangladesh 2022, the second edition of WOW Virtual Bangladesh online festival celebrating women, girls and other communities in the country.

Through this virtual festival, the British Council along with its strategic partners Mongol Deep Foundation and CCD Bangladesh have achieved in fulfilling our aim to “Celebrate the Indomitable” and continue our support of safe spaces for dialogue, celebrate the achievement of women and girls, include men and other genders in conversations to enable change and work towards better understanding that gender equality benefits everyone.

For more information on WOW Virtual Bangladesh 2022, click here. 

2023 has been the year of WOW Bangladesh Festival. ThE two-day inclusive festival in February 2023 took place on a national scale and proudly highlighted the achievements and obstacles women face in Bangladesh and around the world. There were open-for-all and thought-provoking panel discussions, workshops, mentoring, theatre and dance performances, exhibitions, marketplace fairs, and concerts to celebrate the strength, resilience, and indomitable spirit of women in Bangladesh. From showcasing the formidable spirit of women choosing unconventional career path to addressing global issues which are hindering the growth of gender equality and inclusion, WOW Bangladesh 2023 has been accoladed as the most successful festival for women in Bangladesh.

For more information on WOW Bangladesh 2023 Festival, click here.