Rupantar (meaning transformation) is a non-profit organization founded in December 1992. Starting from Khulna and Bagerhat districts with Folk drama, Pot songs, and popular publications in 1994, the NGO expanded its operations to mainstream development programs. These programs include democracy and governance, peace and tolerance, cultural diversity, climate change adaptation, human rights, safe migration, environment, disaster management, child protection, and women’s empowerment across Bangladesh. In 2002, Rupantar started working globally through folk theatre programs across Asia (China, Laos, Cambodia, and India) and Europe (Sweden and UK).
The organization’s strategy involves grassroots peoples, particularly youth and women, in planning, networking, advocacy, capacity development, and improving livelihood through social, economic, political, and religious rights and freedom.
Programs are built on a participatory approach, human resource development, reviving traditional folk cultural forms and using them for development communication. Peace and tolerance Rupantar’s another signature programs targeting youth involvement through peacebuilders at the community and institutional levels under prevention of violent extremism (PVE) initiatives.The programs for the Sundarban region empower grassroots women socially and politically. The intervention areas include conserving the ecosystem of the Sundarbans forest. Habitation of the forest users’ environment, culture conservation, and socio-economic development- empowering marginalized communities, improving activities for equitable gender, establishing democracy, good governance, and human rights through strengthening local government and reviving and promoting folk culture practices. Our implementation involves discussions, dialogue meetings, and training for the citizens, women leaders, youth, adolescents, local government representatives, and field administration staff.
Rupantar is registered with the Department of Social Services (Registration No. 530/92, Dated December 29, 1992) and NGO Affairs Bureau under the Prime Minister’s office, Government of Bangladesh (Registration No. 1170/97, Dated July 10, 1997). Rupantar has been handling funds for decades and has gained experience operating project funds. Our programs and projects are supported by the Government of Bangladesh, channeling through different ministries and departments, international development partners, and multi-national NGOs. Rupantar plays an advisory role as secretariat of the Stop Violence Coalition (SVC) with the Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO), National PVE network, and other coalition networking platforms of national NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in Bangladesh.