Prime Minister’s Political Adviser and BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas on Saturday said he did not go abroad on his own for medical treatment but was sent there for treatment after suffering a stroke.
“I did not go abroad for treatment; I was sent there. When I regained consciousness after being unconscious for nearly one and a half months, I found myself abroad. After completing my treatment, I did not want to stay there. I asked them to take me back to my country,” he said.
Abbas made the remarks at a discussion marking National Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Day 2026 at the conference hall of the Super Specialised Hospital of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) in the noon.
Recalling his health problems, he said he had been a patient for much of his life and had recently suffered a stroke.
Although he had received treatment abroad, Abbas said he had always been proud of the quality of medical services available in Bangladesh.
“I believe our doctors are as good as doctors in any other country. They know how to perform operations and understand medical conditions. Treatment in our own country is better for us,” he said.
He said Bangladeshi doctors had proved their capabilities both at home and abroad, adding that he felt comfortable receiving treatment from doctors in his own country.
Abbas, however, acknowledged that Bangladesh needed to improve its medical education and research facilities to produce more highly skilled doctors.
He said the country had a large population but limited space for hospitals and medical education. Several major hospitals, including BMU, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and BIRDEM, were located close to one another, creating pressure on the available facilities.
He compared the situation with Singapore, where hospitals and their different departments are spread across larger areas, requiring patients and visitors to travel between facilities.
He also said political considerations had prevented many experienced doctors from making proper use of their expertise.
“Doctors should not become victims of politics under any circumstances. A doctor is simply a doctor. We should allow doctors to remain doctors, regardless of their political affiliations,” he said.
Abbas stressed that the government and relevant authorities should ensure that doctors were not discriminated against or deprived of professional opportunities because of their political views.
He also pointed to a lack of public confidence in domestic healthcare services and the shortage of quality hospitals as reasons why many Bangladeshis seek treatment overseas. He said people who could afford to go abroad often chose to do so, while family members also sometimes encouraged patients to seek treatment outside the country.
The BNP leader called for greater public awareness about the quality of medical treatment available in Bangladesh.
He said regular programmes and discussions involving senior doctors, along with wider media coverage, could help people learn more about the country's medical achievements and build confidence in local healthcare services.