Bangladesh has emerged as a development icon after reducing deaths of children below the age of five, meeting the global target four years ahead of time.
But the number of newborns dying in Bangladesh is still very high at 62,000 every year.
This is one of the highest in the world. All these occur in the first month of life and half within the first day of life.
The main causes of newborn deaths in Bangladesh are prematurity, sepsis and conditions arising from complications around delivery, like asphyxia.
Stillbirth rates are also alarmingly high, with nearly 230 cases every day. But many cases are never recorded and many conditions behind such loss of life remain unknown.
In addition, about 5,200 women in Bangladesh die every year due to complications during pregnancy, delivery and the period following birth.
Most of these deaths happen due to mothers delivering babies at home by unskilled birth attendants. Mothers also die because there is a lack of proper and round-the-clock emergency obstetric care at hospitals, clinics and health centres.