Improved Cookstove Program in Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) initiated research on modern cooking stoves in 1980 intending to develop models that would conserve fuel, reduce kitchen smoke pollution, and protect users from smoke-related health issues. Despite these efforts, the initiative encountered significant challenges and was discontinued in 1990.
In December 2005, GIZ (German Development Cooperation) reintroduced the concept of Improved Cook Stoves (ICS) by promoting a clay stove model developed by the Institute of Fuel Research and Development (IFRD) of BCSIR. However, subsequent monitoring revealed that the quality of these stoves often did not meet the intended design standards.
The BCSIR has since developed several models of improved cookstoves that are suitable for and accepted by households in Bangladesh. Under the branding “Bondhu Chula,” GIZ has been actively promoting these stoves across the country since 2006. Various organizations, including the World Bank, USAID, and the Global Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves, have also supported the promotion of ICS in Bangladesh.
The Department of Environment (DoE), under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, has collaborated with GIZ in the dissemination and promotion of these improved cook stoves.