Bachera Aktar
Deputy Director
Bachera Aktar is an Assistant Director of the Center of Excellence for Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights at BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH), BRAC University. She has 10+ years of experience of implementing public health programs and researches including reproductive and sexual health, maternal, child and adolescent health and nutrition, health system, and management, mixed-method research, monitoring and evaluation, and humanitarian crisis. At JPGSPH, she oversees research projects on sexual and reproductive health, urban health system and humanitarian response to Rohingya refugees. She is also a Faculty in the Master in Public Health (MPH) Program and supervises MPH students’ thesis work. She co-coordinates four modules in the MPH program - Introduction to Public Health, Health System Management, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Project Management Learning. Before joining BRAC School of Public Health, she worked for BRAC Health, Nutrition and Population Program as a Program Manager and oversaw several large and medium scale community-based public health projects funded by DFID, DFATD Canada, DFAT Australia, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Ms Aktar has double Master’s – M.Sc. in Food and Nutrition from the University of Dhaka and Master of Public Health from BRAC JPGSPH, BRAC University.
Address
The Center of Excellence for Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (CGSRHR)
BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University Dhaka, Bangladesh
-
Education
+–- Master of Public Health James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- M.Sc. in Food and Nutrition College of Home Economics, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
- B.Sc. Honours in Food and Nutrition Science College of Home Economics, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Advanced Certificate in Business Administration Jointly offered by Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka,
Bangladesh and Association of Management Development Institute in South Asia
- Master of Public Health James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
-
Publications
+–Selected Publications
Journals
Todd, C. S., Chowdhury, Z., Mahmud, Z., Islam, N., Shabnam, S., Parvin, M., … Sanghvi, T. (2019). Maternal nutrition intervention and maternal complications in 4 districts of Bangladesh: A nested cross-sectional study. PLoS Medicine, 16(10), e1002927. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002927
Karim, M. A., Ahmed, S. I., Ferdous, J., Islam, B. Z., Tegegne, H. A., & Aktar, B. (2019). Assessing informed consent practices during normal vaginal delivery and immediate postpartum care in tertiary-level hospitals of Bangladesh. European Journal of Midwifery, 3(10). https://doi.org/10.18332/ejm/109311
Frongillo, E. A., Nguyen, P. H., Sanghvi, T., Mahmud, Z., Aktar, B., Alayon, S., & Menon, P. (2019). Nutrition interventions integrated into an existing maternal, neonatal, and child health program reduce food insecurity among recently delivered and pregnant women in Bangladesh. Journal of Nutrition, 149(1), 159–166. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxy249
Ahmed, R., Farnaz, N., Aktar, B., Hassan, R., Shafique, S. B., Ray, P., … Rashid, S. F. (2019). Situation analysis for delivering integrated comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services in humanitarian crisis condition for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Protocol for a mixed-method study. BMJ Open, 9(7). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028340
Nguyen, P. H., Frongillo, E. A., Sanghvi, T., Wable, G., Mahmud, Z., Tran, L. M., … Menon, P. (2018). Engagement of husbands in a maternal nutrition program substantially contributed to greater intake of micronutrient supplements and dietary diversity during pregnancy: Results of a cluster-randomized program evaluation in Bangladesh. Journal of Nutrition, 148(8), 1352–1363. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxy090
Nguyen, P. H., Frongillo, E. A., Sanghvi, T., Kim, S. S., Alayon, S., Tran, L. M., … Menon, P. (2018). Importance of coverage and quality for impact of nutrition interventions delivered through an existing health programme in Bangladesh. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12613
Nguyen, P., Sanghvi, T., Mahmud, Z., Tran, L., Shabnam, S., Aktar, B., … Menon, P. (2017). Integrating nutrition-focused behavior change communication and community mobilization into existing maternal, neonatal and child health platform improved consumption of diversified foods and micronutrients and exclusive breastfeeding practices in Banglad. The FASEB Journal, 31(1_supplement), 786.47-786.47. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.786.47
Nguyen, P. H., Sanghvi, T., Kim, S. S., Tran, L. M., Afsana, K., Mahmud, Z., … Menon, P. (2017). Factors influencing maternal nutrition practices in a large scale maternal, newborn and child health program in Bangladesh. PLoS ONE, 12(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179873
Nguyen, P. H., Sanghvi, T., Tran, L. M., Afsana, K., Mahmud, Z., Aktar, B., … Menon, P. (2017). The nutrition and health risks faced by pregnant adolescents: Insights from a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh. PLoS ONE, 12(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178878
Nguyen, P. H., Kim, S. S., Sanghvi, T., Mahmud, Z., Tran, L. M., Shabnam, S., … Menon, P. (2017). Integrating nutrition interventions into an existing maternal, neonatal, and child health program increased maternal dietary diversity, micronutrient intake, and exclusive breastfeeding practices in Bangladesh: Results of a cluster-randomized program eval. Journal of Nutrition, 147(12), 2326–2337. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.117.257303
Rahman, M., Yunus, F. M., Shah, R., Jhohura, F. T., Mistry, S. K., Quayyum, T., … Afsana, K. (2016). A controlled before-and-after perspective on the improving maternal, neonatal, and child survival program in rural Bangladesh: An impact analysis. PLoS ONE, 11(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161647
Aktar, B., Sarker, M., & Jenkins, A. (2014). Exploring adolescent reproductive health knowledge, perceptions, and behavior, among students of non-government secondary schools supported by BRAC mentoring program in rural Bangladesh. Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM), 1(1), 17–33. Retrieved from http://ecommons.aku.edu/jam/vol1/iss1/4
Magazine Articles/Reports
Aktar, B., & Ray, P. (2019). Am I okay? Research-led insights into the provision of sexual and reproductive health information for youth in the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.brac.net/publications/dbrief/am-i-okay/
Hoop, T. De, Yunus, F., Munrat, S., Fallon, S., Sehrin, F., Sennett, J., … Ghani, R. B. A. (2018). The effects of mainstreaming nutrition and early childhood development under BRAC’s mnch programme the effects of mainstreaming nutrition and early childhood development under BRAC’s maternal, newborn, and child health programme: A mixed-methods impact ev. Dhaka, Bangladesh: BRAC Research and Evaluation Division. Retrieved from https://research.brac.net/new/component/k2/download/671_93650677044cbc05...
Aktar, B. (2011). Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Initiatives: A community-based intervention to reduce maternal mortality in rural Bangladesh. Health in South-East Asia, 4(2), 16–18.
Aktar, B., & Afsana, K. (2011, September). Shashthya Kormi: giving back to the community. Health in South-East Asia : A SEARSO Newsletter, 4(2), 15–18. Retrieved from http://www.searo.who.int/mediacentre/newsletters/hisea/rc64_hisea.pdf?ua=1
-
Professional Activities
+–August 2019 – continuing Assistant Director, The Center of Excellence for Gender, Sexual and Reproductive
Health and Rights (CGSRHR), BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.October 2019 – continuing Co-Principle Investigator (Bangladesh). “Exploring the feasibility of collecting a core set of indicators for monitoring and evaluating sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services and outcomes in humanitarian settings”. A multi-country research project lead by University of Ottawa, Canada and funded by WHO. BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University
Co-Investigator (Bangladesh). “Success Factors, Challenges, and Future Priorities for Ensuring Sexual and Reproductive Health of Rohingya Women and Adolescent Girls in Refugee Camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh”. A multi-country research project funded by WHO. BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University
December 2018 – continuing Co- Principal Investigator (Bangladesh), “ARISE Hub: Accountability and Responsiveness in Informal Urban Settlements for Equity in Health and Well- being”, a multi-country research hub lead by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK and funded by UKRI. BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University
May –December 2018 Co-Investigator and Project Coordinator (Bangladesh). “Situation Analysis and Assessment of Implementation of Integrated Comprehensive SRHR Services for Rohingya Refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh”. A multi-country research project funded by WHO. BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University
January 2017 – July 2019
Senior Coordinator, BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University.
Co-Investigator and Project Coordinator. “Digital Sister for the Urban Youth: Using New Technology for Effective SRHR Communication for Urban Youth of Bangladesh”. A research project funded by NOW-WOTRO, The Netherlands. BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC UniversityOctober 2014 - December 2016 Project Lead. Health, Nutrition and Population Program, BRAC, Bangladesh. “Alive & Thrive’s Integration of Maternal Nutrition Interventions into BRAC MNCH Program in Bangladesh” (Alive & Thrive Phase II); an implementation research project conducted in 10 sub-districts in Bangladesh.
April 2015 - December 2016 Programme Manager. Health, Nutrition and Population Program, BRAC, Bangladesh. Managed overall implementation of two projects - BRAC Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival project implemented in 14 districts; and Integrated Early Childhood Development project implemented in six sub-districts in Bangladesh.
August 2013 - March 2015 Senior Manager. Health, Nutrition and Population Program BRAC, Bangladesh. Managed overall implementation of Maternal Nutrition project and Integrated Early Childhood Development project, and supervised implementation of Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival Project at six districts in Bangladesh
June 2010 - July 2013 Senior Sector Specialist. Improving Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival Project, Health, Nutrition and Population Program BRAC, Bangladesh
November 2009 - May 2010 Sub-district Manager. Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival (IMNCS) Project under BRAC Health Program, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
November 2008 - October 2009 Young Professional Trainee. Young Professional Program under BRAC Training Division (BTD). One year long intensive leadership development program.
December 2007 - February 2008 Research Assistant. BRAC Health Program, Bangladesh. “Mainstreaming Nutrition Initiative in Maternal and Child Health (MNI MCH)” Project under Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) Program of BRAC, a study conducted jointly with icddr,b in Nilphamari (a northern district), Bangladesh
TEACHING AND ADVISING EXPERIENCE
Course Co-coordinator (January 2017 to continuing) Master of Public Health at Jams P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Four modules – Introduction to Public Health, Project Management Learning, Health System Management, Sexual and Reproductive Health and RightsFaculty(January 2017 to continuing) Master of Public Health at Jams P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Five modules - Introduction to Public Health, Qualitative Research Methodology, Project Management Learning, Health System Management, Sexual and Reproductive Health and RightsThesis Co- supervisor (2015, 2017 2018, 2019) Summative Learning Project (SLP) – group thesis of Master of Public Health (MPH)
at BRAC Jams P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University.
• Five students on the theme ‘Assessment of Midwifery Practice in Bangladesh’ in 2015
• Six students on the theme ‘Adolescent nutrition and household food security in Urban Slum, Bangladesh’ in 2017
• Five students on the theme ‘Reproductive health of Rohingya refugee adolescent girls living in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh’ in 2018
• Six students on the theme ‘Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Bangladesh in 2019Guest Lecturer (2014 to 2016) Master of Public Health at Jams P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights course