World Mental Health Day 2026 will be observed in Bangladesh and other countries on Saturday with the theme “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”.

The day is observed every year on October 10 to raise awareness about mental health and educate the public about related issues.

On the occasion, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have issued separate messages.

In his message, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he welcomed the initiative to observe World Mental Health Day 2026 in Bangladesh, alongside other countries.

“Mental health is an essential part of people's overall well-being, work capacity and quality of life,” he said.

The President said changing global circumstances, economic instability, social unrest, loneliness, drug addiction, family and workplace pressures, and various challenges in everyday life were having a profound impact on people's mental health.

Therefore, he said, mental well-being was as important as physical health.

Describing this year's theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”, or “Listen to people's experiences, bring real change”, as timely and significant in the current context, the President said its central message was to listen attentively to people who had direct experience of mental health problems and give due importance to their experiences and opinions in policymaking and service planning.

He said the government had taken various initiatives to bring mental health services to people's doorsteps and integrate them into primary healthcare.

The President said families and communities played a crucial role in identifying mental health problems and ensuring that appropriate services reached those in need.

He stressed the importance of showing compassion and respect to people experiencing mental health problems, while ensuring proper mental healthcare and support from their families and communities.

He also underscored the need to raise public awareness about appropriate medical treatment instead of relying on exorcism or other unscientific methods.

The President called for stronger mental health awareness programmes at healthcare centres and educational institutions, alongside government and private initiatives, to ensure the overall mental well-being of citizens.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, in his message, said health did not simply mean being physically healthy or free from disease, but rather enjoying physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being.

“There is, therefore, no scope to neglect mental health in any way,” he said, adding that protecting mental health was an important aspect of the government's public welfare-oriented health policy.

He said mental health was not merely a matter of medical treatment but was deeply connected with human dignity and the overall well-being of families, society and the state.

The Prime Minister called for collective efforts to eliminate fear, shame, superstition and discrimination surrounding mental illness.

People experiencing mental health problems should not be neglected or isolated because of their conditions, he said, stressing that their concerns should be heard, they should receive support, and access to necessary assistance should be made easier.

He said listening to and respectfully acknowledging the experiences and feelings of people living with mental health conditions was a prerequisite for bringing about meaningful change.

The Prime Minister said the government wanted to build a healthcare system that gave equal importance to mental peace, social security and improved quality of life alongside physical health.

With this humane approach, he said, the government was working to bring mental health services closer to people by expanding services at upazila and primary healthcare levels, developing skilled manpower, establishing an effective referral system and expanding technology-based counselling services.

Describing mental health as a major public health challenge worldwide, the Prime Minister said a large number of people in Bangladesh were also experiencing mental health problems.

However, many remained deprived of appropriate treatment and support due to social stigma, lack of awareness, limited access to services and a shortage of necessary healthcare professionals, he said.

He said the government had taken various initiatives to improve the accessibility, quality and capacity of mental health services.

The initiatives included expanding integrated referral systems and tele-counselling services at upazila and district levels to ensure that marginalised people could access care.

The government had also taken initiatives to train doctors working at the upazila level in mental healthcare, strengthen the capacity of mental health professionals in government hospitals and train a large number of healthcare workers in the field, he said.

Addressing mental health professionals, he urged them to listen attentively to people, stand beside them with empathy and work sincerely to ensure necessary treatment and support.

He also stressed the importance of raising awareness about mental health among families, educational institutions, the media and people from all walks of life.

World Mental Health Day was first observed in 1992. Since then, October 10 has been observed every year as a day to promote mental health awareness.

Initially, the day had no specific theme. Its primary objective was to advocate for mental health and educate the public about relevant issues.