Three decades after its creation the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) has become one of the world's largest non-governmental development organisations. According to a review of its achievements by Dr Jon Rohde of the committee's own School of Public Health, its activities have touched the lives of millions of Bangladeshis. Not the least of its impact has been on their health.

The committee was set up in 1972 after the war that lead to the split of East and West Pakistan into Pakistan and Bangladesh. Like many organisations created to provide relief in the aftermath of civil and military upheaval, it could have done its bit to restore normality …