At the request of the government of Bangladesh the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh established the Maternal and Child Health-Family Planning (MCH-FP) Extension Project in 1982. This paper discusses: (1) the design of the MCH-FP; (2) the major characteristics of the national health and family planning program under the Ministry of Health and Population Control and its 1977 Matlab experiment; (3) the activities of MCH-FP; and (4) the Family Welfare Assistants (FWA) and their effect on contraceptive use. The studies found that families visited by female FWAs responded more favorably to contraceptive use. A 17-item reference list is included. (DJC)