Since 1995 the Nippon Foundation has actively supported a scholarship program in Bangladesh for underpriviledged students to study at institutions of higher learning. Nearly 3,000 students have benefited from this project to date.

The scholarship is implemented by the Bangladesh Scholarship Council (BSC), which was established with Nippon Foundation support to assist students with potential and ability, so that they can pursue a higher education.

Bangladesh is a developing country where educational opportunities are limited, and many promising students are still not able to receive a standard education from reputable public institutions because they cannot afford the costs involved.

The scholarship program recognizes that it is necessary to support students in different fields because they are the future resources of nation building. Without such a program, poverty would stop many young scholars from going further with their educational development.

BSC's purpose is to discover talented individuals from the underpriviledged communities of Bangladesh and transform their ambitions and hopes into reality. Among the nearly 3,000 students who have benefited from this program to date, many are today teachers, and others are engaged in other nation-building pursuits.

In July 2007, the BSC was granted Special Consultative Status by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. BSC's goal is to financially assist even more young scholars as they pursue their higher studies in Bangladesh.

According to Chairman Yohei Sasakawa of the Nippon Foundation, "Every year BSC scholars have fulfilled our expectations by bringing their individual contributions and achievements to the development of the nation. Each of these bright scholars deserves our congratulations."

Mr Ruhul Amin, Chief Justice of Bangladesh, says that the BSC project "not only contributes to our efforts in fighting illiteracy, but that it also facilitates equal access and better opportunity for all, particularly the poor and brilliant students staying in far-flung areas of the country."