Basanti Saha

Senior development professional, trainer, researcher, and advocacy specialist with more than 20 years of experience in human rights, gender justice, climate change, governance, and social development in Bangladesh. She has extensive expertise in designing, developing, and facilitating training and capacity-building initiatives for diverse groups including grassroots communities, NGO professionals, journalists, and government officials. Her thematic expertise includes gender and development, women’s leadership, child rights, governance, climate change adaptation, advocacy, education, maternal health, and poverty reduction.

She holds BSS (Hons.) and MSS degrees in Sociology from Government B.M. College under the National University, along with an LLB degree from Metropolis Ideal Law College.

Basanti Saha has significant experience in planning and implementing nationwide advocacy campaigns, organizing workshops, seminars, consultations, and media engagement activities. She is also skilled in documentation, report writing, newsletter editing, communication material development, and partnership management with NGOs and civil society networks.

Currently, she is serving as Country Focal Point (Bangladesh) at the Asia Dalit Rights Forum since January 2025, where she leads research, mentoring, and reporting on Dalit and marginalized women’s rights. Previously, she worked with organizations including Dwip Unnayan Songstha, DARPAN, Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL), Oxfam GB, SUPRO – Shushasoner Jonno Procharavijan, Communica, and Mass-line Media Centre.

She has also worked as a language interpreter and Bangla language trainer for international development professionals from India and Nepal. Her recent consultancy assignments include conducting training courses on Gender and Leadership, Climate Change Advocacy, ToT, and Bangla language learning.

Basanti Saha is fluent in Bangla and English and possesses strong communication, facilitation, and computer skills.