City Bank, Oxfam partner to improve climate-resilient WASH facilities in tea gardens

City Bank and Oxfam in Bangladesh have entered into a partnership to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for underserved tea garden communities through climate-resilient solutions.

With a particular focus on the safety, health and dignity of women and girls, the initiative seeks to address critical WASH challenges faced by tea garden communities while strengthening their resilience to the impacts of climate change, according to the press release.

City Bank Managing Director and CEO Mashrur Arefin and Oxfam in Bangladesh Country Director Anil Pant signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations at a ceremony held at City Bank Center.

City Bank Additional Managing Director and CFO Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman; Additional Managing Director and CIO Kazi Azizur Rahman; and Head of Brand and Marketing Shahriar Jamil Khan attended the signing ceremony.

Oxfam in Bangladesh Programme Management Advisor Mahmuda Sultana and Head of Finance, Risk and Compliance Halima Akhter Mitu, along with other senior officials from both organisations, were also present.

The partnership brings together City Bank's broader corporate social responsibility priorities with Oxfam's experience in gender justice, climate resilience and community-led development to support locally owned and sustainable solutions for tea garden communities.

Mashrur Arefin, managing director and CEO of City Bank, said, "Access to safe water and sanitation is fundamental to health and dignity."

"This partnership brings together two of City Bank's key CSR priorities – women and the environment – to deliver practical, climate-resilient solutions that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of tea garden communities," he added.

Anil Pant, country director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, said, "Women tea workers are at the heart of Bangladesh's tea industry, yet many tea garden communities still face persistent gaps in safe water and sanitation, compounded by growing climate risks."

"This partnership is about more than infrastructure – it is about dignity, rights and resilience. With City Bank, we aim to support climate-resilient, community-led WASH solutions that improve everyday life and enable communities to sustain change for the long term," he added.