The Department of Palliative Medicine at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) celebrated World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2025 with an inspiring and deeply moving event at the IPNA Seminar Hall, Block E.
The global theme, “Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care,” set the tone for a morning filled with compassion, reflection, and a renewed commitment to human dignity.
The program was chaired by Professor A.K.M. Motiur Rahman Bhuiyan, Chairman of the Department of Palliative Medicine, BMU. The event began with a rally symbolizing the collective stride towards a caring and inclusive health system.
Prof. Nezamuddin Ahmed, Founding Chairman of the Department of Palliative Medicine, BMU and Founding Director of Palliative Care Society of Bangladesh (PCSB), Prof. Md. Sarwar Alam, Ex-Chairman, Department of Clinical Oncology, BMU, Prof. Sunjida Shahria, General Secretary (PCSB), and Dr. Rumana Ud Dowla, Chairman, Bangladesh Palliative and Supportive Care Foundation and Head, medico-marketing department of ACI pharmaceuticals. There were other faculty members, healthcare professionals, students and community based palliative care team members.
During the event, participants including doctors, nurses, home care service providers, and palliative care assistants (PCA) shared their emotional and real-life experiences with the audience, describing how small gestures of empathy and understanding can transform the final journey of patients and bring comfort to their families. These reflections touched everyone present and reinforced the essence of the day — that caring is a universal language of humanity.
Globally, according to the latest Lancet Commission updates, more than 73.5 million people require palliative care every year, yet only 14% have access to it. In Bangladesh, 781,000 people yearly need palliative care but the current reach is estimated to be below 1% of the need, — a gap that demands urgent attention and coordinated effort among government, medical institutions, and community organizations.
BMU’s ongoing initiatives — including training programs for medical professionals, development of home-based palliative care networks, community engagement, and advocacy at multiple policy levels are key steps toward bridging that gap. The university reaffirmed its vision to make palliative care accessible to all, regardless of geography or economic status.
The event concluded with a Vote of Thanks, followed by a Cake Cutting Ceremony and fellowship lunch, symbolizing unity, compassion, and the sweetness of collective purpose.
Professor Bhuiyan closed the program with heartfelt words: “In palliative care, we do not count the days — we make the days count. It’s about bringing light to every moment, compassion to every bedside, and dignity to every life.”
The celebration of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2025 at BMU stood as a testament to the growing movement in Bangladesh — a movement dedicated to ensuring that no one faces life’s end without comfort, care, and compassion.