The James P. Grant School of Public Health hosted the inaugural meeting of a civil society initiative to launch a national Health Watch in Bangladesh. The meeting took place on April 17, 2006 at the BRAC Centre Auditorium. The inauguration was addressed by eminent personalities such as Mr. Mahfuz Anam of The Daily Star, Ms. Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori and Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury of Gonoshasthaya Kendra. The School has been chosen as the Secretariat for the Watch. Dr. Mushtaque Chowdhury, Dean of the BRAC School of Public Health will act as the Member-Secretary. Initial expenditures for the activities of the Watch will be borne by BRAC. Long term funding for the secretariat will be sought from other sources. A temporary Working Group has been formed whose responsibility will be to steer the Watch activities so that a credible report is published at the specified time. Dr. Abbas Bhuiya of ICDDR, B has been nominated to co-ordinate this group. An Advisory Board consisting of eminent personalities in the country has been nominated to provide guidance to the Watch. Dr. Rounaq Jahan, Director, Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) and Adjunct Professor, Columbia University is the Convener. The Board will be expanded as and when necessary. It will meet at least twice every year. The objective of the Health Watch is to monitor Bangladesh's progress towards achievement of the goal of good health for all citizens. The Watch will publish on a yearly basis a report on the state of health in Bangladesh. It will also use other monitoring and advocacy measures such as conferences, meetings, press briefings and media reports to engage all key stakeholders in the health sector.