One in two children in Bangladesh cannot read at their grade level, and two-thirds are unable to do basic counting after completing primary education, according to recent UNICEF data. Add to that the 35 million children whose schooling was disrupted by climate crises in 2024 alone, and the scale of Bangladesh’s educational challenges becomes clear.
Against this backdrop, the Anjuman & Aziz Charitable Trust, established by Summit Group Founder and Chairman Muhammed Aziz Khan and his wife Anjuman Aziz Khan, announced a substantial expansion of its educational initiatives in June 2025. The trust now supports nearly 10,000 disadvantaged children across Bangladesh, an increase from its initial focus on 3,000 children when the partnership with UNICEF Bangladesh began in 2022.
Addressing Educational Challenges in Bangladesh
The expansion comes as Bangladesh works to recover from some of the world’s longest pandemic-related school closures, lasting approximately 18 months, which disrupted the education of millions of children. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, only 43% of 10-year-old students in Bangladesh were proficient in reading.
And despite progress in primary school enrollment in Bangladesh, which have reached near-universal levels, completion rates tell a different story. Only 64% of children complete secondary education.
According to World Bank data, about 5 million children aged 6-13 remained out of school, mostly in underserved areas.
The most vulnerable children face the greatest barriers. Children with disabilities are seven times more likely to be out of school than other children, while more than half of children with disabilities do not receive any formal education.
Climate change compounds these challenges. Nearly 20 million children in Bangladesh are seriously exposed to climate hazards, with extreme weather events frequently disrupting their education.
“Every child is the future. If we want a future, we must enable the child via education,” said Muhammed Aziz Khan. “Education is not only children’s right, it’s our survival.”
Scaling Educational Impact
The original four-year partnership between AACT and UNICEF Bangladesh, established in 2022, focused specifically on helping 3,000 out-of-school children in Dhaka South City Corporation Zones 3, 4, and 5 re-enter education and catch up on lost learning. Zones 3, 4, and 5 were selected based on their high concentration of disadvantaged families and children who had dropped out during the pandemic.
The expanded program builds on Summit Group’s broader educational initiatives. Khan serves as founder-chairman of the Prothom Alo Trust, which funds the Alor Pathshala program operating seven schools in hard-to-reach areas of Bangladesh for more than 15 years. Summit Group has also provided funding to the Jaago Foundation, which offers English-curriculum education to financially disadvantaged children, and supports the Society for Education and Inclusion of the Disabled (SEID) Trust, which provides services for children with special needs.
“I am so delighted to see the good works of UNICEF and our other partners. Every child must be protected, every child must be educated, and they must be happy children to have a future,” Khan stated regarding the trust’s educational mission.
Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, praised the partnership.
“This generous and extraordinary contribution is a testament to the Khans’ commitment to the rights and needs of children,” he said. “UNICEF is grateful for this donation from the Anjuman and Aziz Charitable Trust which will help meet the education needs of many of the country’s most vulnerable children.”
Summit Group’s Broader Educational Philosophy
Khan emphasizes that “education is the biggest enabler of equality in the world” and that Summit Group focuses on “how to educate the people around the power plants or around any of our facilities.”
The philosophy extends beyond charitable giving to encompass a comprehensive approach to community development. Summit Group has built schools near its power plants and facilities, then transferred ownership to local authorities to ensure sustainability. Through various trusts and foundations, the company has supported educational initiatives for nearly a decade.
Khan’s appointment as Chair of the UNICEF International Council in 2024 marked a milestone. The position places him at the forefront of global efforts to address children’s needs, particularly in education and protection.
The appointment followed Khan’s receipt of the Public Service Medal and Pingat Bakti Masyarakat from Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office in 2023, recognizing his contributions during the pandemic. These honors reflect the international scope of his philanthropic work and Summit Group’s commitment to supporting vulnerable populations.
“Equality is a human goodness,” Khan reflected. “Corporate social responsibility is part of this larger expectation of humanity.”