October 12, 2025, 2:51 pm
TAM Report ||
An award ceremony for the Safe and Accessible Sanitary Product Innovation Competition for women with disabilities was held recently at the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation Auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka, on the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025.
Organized under the theme, “Together for a #Period-Friendly World” this competition was supported by WaterAid Bangladesh, Kimberly-Clark, and the MHM (Menstrual Hygiene Management) Platform. The top five teams were selected, with innovAID winning first place, followed by SheMove in second, and TEAMPARI in third.
Nine respected individuals served as judges for the competition and were honored with crests and gifts at the event. Among the jury members were Samiha Nishat Chowdhury, Brand Manager of Joya Sanitary Napkin at SMC Enterprise, Sharmin Akbari, Specialist in Disability Inclusion at BRAC’s Gender Justice and Diversity Program,and Dr. Zinat Sultana, Assistant Director (MCH) at Directorate General of Family Planning.
The event was moderated by Salma Mahbub, General Secretary of B-SCAN, who shared her thoughts, saying that many people do not understand the issues faced by women with disabilities, particularly the shortage of menstrual products suited to their specific needs during menstruation. This was the motivation behind B-SCAN organizing the competition.
In his welcoming speech, Iftikhar Mahmud, Director of B-SCAN, said the competition’s main goal is to foster innovative and practical solutions for menstrual health management for women with disabilities. With support from WaterAid, B-SCAN first began celebrating MHM Day for women with disabilities in 2016. Ten years later, with their continued support, this competition was organized, marking significant progress.
Dr. Mahbubur Rahman, Lead and Project Coordinator of Environmental Health and WASH at icddr,b and Steering Committee Member of the MHM Platform, also gave a speech. He stated that there is much work to be done in ensuring hygienic menstrual management, requiring proper planning and programs. Affordable and accessible products need to reach marginalized women, and the MHM Platform is working with government and non-government stakeholders to achieve this.
Distinguished guests who gave speeches at the event included:
Partha Hefaz Sheikh, Director of Programs and Policy Advocacy, WaterAid Bangladesh, who urged entrepreneurs to seek patents for the innovative products developed in the competition. He promised WaterAid’s support in helping participants secure seed funding for their prototypes and called on other organizations to join in. He expressed confidence that WaterAid and partners like B-SCAN will continue to support the welfare of women with disabilities.
Dr. Sohel Habib, Line Director (NCRH), Directorate General of Family Planning, described the competition and MHM Day celebrations as exceptional and timely initiatives. He showed interest in distributing the winning product nationwide through the Directorate General of Family Planning and pledged logistical support for future MHM Day events and related activities.
Naima Hossain, Director (Joint Secretary), Women’s Affairs Directorate, stated that the directorate trains two women entrepreneurs in each upazila (sub-district). She announced plans to link these trained women with B-SCAN to supply menstrual health products suitable for women with disabilities, enabling effective field-level work.
Md. Saidur Rahman Khan, Director General of the Department of Social Services, said that the department could implement projects with 60% partnership in city corporation areas and 80% outside. He expressed willingness to participate in this innovative initiative and provide necessary support. He hoped the winners would advance and successfully implement their products.
The overall planning and activities of the competition were presented by Mahfuzur Rahman Rakib, Associate Coordinator of B-SCAN, with sign language interpretation by Ariful Islam.
Three participants shared their personal experiences, expressing gratitude to B-SCAN and WaterAid for the initiative and their hope to deliver these products to women with disabilities with proper sponsorship and guidance.
On behalf of WaterAid Bangladesh, Fayazuddin Ahmed, Advocate and Policy and Advocacy Lead, thanked the B-SCAN team, judges, participants, and logistics providers for the successful completion of the event. He emphasized that the initiative brings a previously hidden issue to light.
The winners will receive support from WaterAid Bangladesh and B-SCAN to turn their innovative ideas into reality. This initiative marks an important milestone in the inclusion and innovation of menstrual health management for women with disabilities.