Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge in Bangladesh, specifically among children under 5 years of age in coastal and climate vulnerable regions. The study aims to explore and analyze the changes in children under 5 years of age nutrition status alongside the increased budget allocations for nutrition at the union level. The study was conducted in selected coastal upazilas of southern Bangladesh, guided by the UNICEF Conceptual Framework. A survey of 922 households was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire, FGDs and KIIs were conducted. The study shows notable improvements in the nutritional status of under-five children from 2022 to 2023, with severe stunting dropping from 16.4% to 6.7% and severe underweight from 5.1% to 3.1%. A key finding is the strong positive correlation between increased nutrition and WASH budget allocations and reduced stunting and underweight. The study suggests that formalizing local budgets for nutrition and WASH can guide policy in South Asia to reduce child malnutrition. The Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) endorsed Child Profile Estimates & Costing Model (CPE&CM) marks a critical step toward institutionalization, contributing to the Second National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN2). This innovative tool guides local to central authorities in implementing need-based nutrition interventions with accurate cost estimates. By scaling up proven interventions and ensuring sustained funding and political commitment, Bangladesh can effectively address the root causes of malnutrition and achieve its national nutrition goals and SDG targets.</p>