This is the third evaluation of IFAD's country programme in Bangladesh undertaken by the Independent Office of Evaluation. Bangladesh is among the top three recipients of IFAD funding in the Asia and the Pacific region. Since 1979, IFAD has financed 31 projects in the country for a total project cost of US$1.9 billion, of which US$717.2 million are attributed to IFAD. The evaluation found that, overall, the portfolio demonstrated having a positive impact on rural poverty alleviation, in particular with respect to increases in rural household income and assets in project areas, as well as improvements in productivity. This was generated, in particular, from on-farm activities facilitated by the combination of microcredit/seasonal agricultural credit, adoption of improved production and management techniques, marketing support linking with supply/value chain, infrastructure development and in particular to the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment. Knowledge management is still one weak link of the Bangladesh country programme. Despite recent progress, lessons learned are not systematically captured and shared, resulting in little awareness of IFAD's rich country, regional and global knowledge in Bangladesh. Partnership at the operational level with institutions and key counterpart departments is strong, but did not succeed in harnessing a secured constituency at a strategic policy level.