United News of Bangladesh

The widespread consumption of bad and junk food—highly processed and often cooked with unhealthy oils—is increasingly posing serious health risks to Bangladesh’s population, particularly the younger generation, with experts warning that it is contributing to lifestyle diseases and even premature deaths. Experts at a discussion in the capital on Friday said the trend is still reversible through a return to good food practices and the adoption of agroecological and organic farming methods. Alamgir Alam, a food, diet and acupuncture expert, lamented the decline in access to healthy food, despite an abundance of attractive but harmful alternatives. “Everything has changed today. There is a serious lack of healthy food, though there is no shortage of fancy items that are not good for health. There was a time when we had good rice, good milk, good meat and good chicken. Now, it feels like a matter of luck to get healthy food,” he said. Fazlul Kader, Managing Director of the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), attended the event as the chief guest. Expressing deep concern, he highlighted the gradual decline in the fertility of Bangladesh’s cultivated lands and stressed that agroecological farming has become an urgent necessity. He described the approach as going beyond the conventional idea of organic farming, terming it “beyond organic.” Former Secretary Md Selim Reza, agricultural expert Dr Mahbubur Rahman, natural food specialist Shahid Ahmed, and other speakers echoed similar views, underscoring both the scientific and social importance of agroecological farming. They explained that agroecological farming is a science-based agricultural system that produces crops without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides or harmful compounds. Instead, it relies on the natural interaction of a farm’s biotic, abiotic and physical components. This process, they said, helps preserve soil health, biodiversity, the reproductive cycles of plants and animals, and the natural food chain—creating a self-sustaining, long-term food production system without harming the environment. Fazlul Kader criticised what he described as the aggressive role of corporate interests in the food sector, while lamenting the state’s reluctance to intervene effectively. “Today, one cannot reasonably expect to get healthy food. The entire food chain—from croplands to superstores—has been destroyed. We must restore purity in our agriculture,” he said. Dr Mohammad Mahbub Alam, Consultant for Partner Projects at the Ministry of Agriculture under the World Bank’s Good Food, Good Life programme, said good food and good agriculture together offer an alternative pathway to a healthy life. He described the movement for safe and natural food as an emerging alternative model for sustainable health and agriculture. Farmers at the event raised concerns about market access and fair pricing, questioning how “good food” can be sustained amid a product marketing crisis. They stressed that agriculture must be restored as a dignified and rewarding profession, rather than one associated with hardship and uncertainty. Natural food expert Shahid Ahmed, now in his mid-80s, shared his personal experience of regaining health through dietary change. “I have no disease now. I once had many, but I reversed all of them by changing my food habits. Eat what the Almighty Allah has given us—fruits and leaves. Leaves receive the full power of the sun. Protecting health demands no money,” he said. Mohsin Ali of Wave Foundation called for transforming the initiative into a broader social movement through knowledge-sharing, and emphasised the critical role of mothers in educating children about natural and healthy food from an early age. The discussion was organised on the occasion of launching Shupanya, a project that aims to make healthy food products and agricultural items available for urban people. Presiding over the session, another natural food expert, Nowsher Ali, emphasised the need to turn the initiative into a social movement and highlighted the crucial role of farmers, drawing the attention of the PKS in this regard Entrepreneur Khan Baten, who launched the Shupanya Project, said the initiative aims to become a nationwide social movement to restore purity in Bangladesh’s agriculture and food chain. “This is my dream. We will succeed if we receive the necessary support from relevant sectors,” he said, adding that the message of healthy food would be spread across the country through good education, positive thinking and collective action.

Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BRCS) Chairman Prof Dr Halida Hanum Akhtar on Saturday announced the expansion of cervical cancer screening services to all 64 districts of the country, saying the disease is fully preventable if timely screening and vaccination are ensured. She also stressed that preventing cervical cancer is not only a women’s issue- it requires awareness and responsible participation from male family members as well. Dr Halida made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organised at the National Press Club marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Day. Later, awareness leaflets were distributed among the public through a rally titled “Walk for Mothers.” Highlighting the severity of the disease, she said cervical cancer is the second most alarming cancer among women after breast cancer. “The tragic part is that this is one of the few cancers that can be prevented in advance through awareness, screening and vaccination. Failing to utilise this opportunity would be our collective failure,” she said. Explaining the anatomical vulnerability of the cervix, Dr Halida said it is located in a highly sensitive area of the body, with the rectum behind and the urinary tract in front. “As a result, cervical cancer spreads very quickly to nearby vital organs, making the patient’s condition critical,” she noted. She warned that abnormal bleeding outside of the menstrual cycle, as well as post-menopausal bleeding, are major early warning signs of cervical cancer. Urging the younger generation to play a proactive role, she encouraged them to share this information with their mothers, aunts and grandmothers and motivate them to undergo screening when needed. Emphasising the role of men in families, Dr Halida said financial decisions in society are often taken by men. “Many women do not know where screening services are available or how much they cost. Without awareness and support from male family members, timely testing becomes difficult,” she said, calling for equal involvement of men in cervical cancer prevention efforts. She said BRCS currently operates 68 units across the country — including in all 64 districts and four divisional units — along with 64 Mother and Child Health Centres. “Primary screening services, including VIA tests, will be introduced gradually at these centres,” she said, adding that Red Crescent’s large pool of youth volunteers will be mobilised as carriers of awareness at the community level. Dr Halida also highlighted the availability of an effective vaccine against cervical cancer, which can be administered from the age of 12. “Unlike breast cancer, which has no vaccine, this is a significant opportunity for women’s health,” she said. She further advised caution in the prolonged use of estrogen-based oral contraceptive pills, noting that continuous use for more than five years may slightly increase cancer risk. In such cases, she suggested alternative family planning methods or male contraceptive options. Calling for a sustainable health system rather than short-term campaigns, Dr Halida said, “My goal is to prevent disease before it happens — so that patients do not have to come to doctors with illness.” She urged students, media, volunteer organisations and state institutions to work together to achieve this goal.

Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has announced plans to implement nationwide awareness activities to address the growing risk of thalassemia in Bangladesh. The initiatives will be carried out under PKSF’s Preventive Healthcare Programme through its extensive network of Partner Organisations across the country. The announcement came at a voluntary blood donation and thalassemia awareness programme held on Sunday at PKSF Bhaban-1 in Agargaon, Dhaka. The event was jointly organised by PKSF and Bangladesh Thalassemia Samity and Hospital. PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan, Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader and Executive Director of Bangladesh Thalassemia Samity and Hospital Dr A K M Ekramul Hossain addressed the programme. Speaking on the occasion, Zakir Ahmed Khan said there is no alternative to public awareness in preventing thalassemia. Considering the severity of the disease and the high cost of treatment, he stressed the need for strong preventive measures. He said coordinated efforts, regular screening and enhanced social awareness could play a decisive role in preventing thalassemia in Bangladesh. PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader said PKSF’s Partner Organisations currently provide health, financial protection and a range of development services to around 22.5 million people nationwide. Leveraging this vast network, he said, PKSF would take effective steps to prevent thalassemia through premarital screening of prospective brides and grooms, identification of carriers and promotion of behavioural change. Highlighting the alarming rise in thalassemia cases, Dr A K M Ekramul Hossain said around 15,000 children are born with thalassemia every year in Bangladesh, while about 11.4 per cent of the population are carriers of the genetic disorder.   He underscored the urgent need to raise mass awareness to reduce the growing burden of the disease. Speakers noted that thalassemia is a preventable genetic blood disorder. A child develops the disease only when both parents are carriers; if one parent is a carrier and the other is healthy, the disease does not occur. They emphasised the importance of knowing one’s carrier status before marriage and proposed incorporating thalassemia screening into the marriage registration process. Examples from countries such as Cyprus, Italy and Greece were cited, where mandatory screening and discouraging marriages between carriers have reduced thalassemia cases to nearly zero. Later, PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan formally inaugurated the blood donation programme, thanked the voluntary donors and encouraged them to continue their altruistic efforts. Officials and staff from various levels of PKSF actively participated in the blood donation campaign.

Marginalised and low-income communities in Bangladesh face a severe healthcare crisis as potential medicine price hikes following the country’s LDC graduation threaten to halt their access to essential treatment. The findings were revealed in a research report presented today by ‘Bangladesh LDC Graduation Watch’ during a discussion meeting at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) auditorium in Dhaka. The session began with a minute of silence in memory of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who passed away earlier this morning. The study, which focused on 100 low-income individuals from the Dalit community in Dhaka and tea workers in Srimangal, highlighted the crushing financial burden of healthcare- Income Depletion: Low-income families already spend an average of 33 percent of their monthly earnings on medicine. In extreme cases, such as cancer treatment, some families spend up to 135 percent of their total income. Treatment Discontinuation: Due to past price increases, 84 percent of women and 53 percent of men have already either stopped their treatment or reduced their dosages. Future Risks: If prices rise by another 20-30 percent, approximately 23 percent of women and 29 percent of men will be unable to afford any treatment. Furthermore, about 60 percent of both men and women indicated they would have to take loans to continue their medical care. Speaking at the event, Firoz Ahmed, a member of the Constitution Reform Committee, noted that while healthcare is a fundamental right in the constitution, it remains unenforceable by courts. He emphasized that the state must ensure medical treatment for all citizens before graduating from the LDC status. Pavel Partha, Director of BARCIK, warned that international trade agreements post-graduation, particularly the TRIPS Agreement, could cause immeasurable damage to the pharmaceutical sector. Additionally, representatives for tea and garment workers shared harrowing accounts of occupational health hazards, noting that workers often lose their ability to work after just 12 years and cannot afford the rising costs of medicines on their meager wages. Zakir Hossain, CEO of Nagorik Uddyog, concluded the meeting by pledging further research and advocacy to mitigate the negative impacts of LDC graduation on the country's most vulnerable populations.

Research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) have welcomed the government’s approval of the 'Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025' at the Advisory Council meeting. The two organizations have expressed their appreciation to the government for this important step and have urged that the ordinance be published in the official Gazette without delay to ensure its timely implementation. In a press release issued on Friday, PROGGA and ATMA stated that the approval of the amendment represents a significant milestone in safeguarding public health in Bangladesh. The organizations emphasized that swift gazette notification is critical to completing the legal process and preventing undue influence by vested interests. Welcoming the decision, ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA, stated, “To complete the legal process, the ordinance must be published in the Gazette at the earliest possible time. Any delay increases the risk of interference by tobacco companies. In the past, we have witnessed extensive and systematic interference by the tobacco industry during similar amendment processes.” Tobacco use remains one of the most serious public health challenges in Bangladesh. More than 130,000 people die each year from tobacco-related diseases, including cancer, stroke, heart disease, and chronic respiratory illnesses. Despite existing control measures, 35.3 percent of the adult population in the country continues to use tobacco. According to research findings, tobacco use and production cause an annual health and environmental loss amounting to BDT 87,000 crore, a staggering figure that is more than double the revenue earned from the tobacco sector during the same period. These loss places a significant burden on individuals, families, and the national economy. With the aim of effectively reducing tobacco use and protecting public health, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare took the initiative to further strengthen the existing tobacco control law. PROGGA and ATMA noted that once the ordinance is gazetted and fully implemented, it will lead to a substantial reduction in tobacco-related deaths. The organizations further highlighted that effective implementation of the amended law will contribute directly to achieving one of the key targets (Target 3a) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—namely, reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by one-third.

Hypertension is increasingly shifting from high-income countries to low- and middle-income nations including Bangladesh, posing a serious public health challenge, speakers said at a seminar in the capital on Tuesday. The trend was highlighted with reference to a World Health Organization (WHO) report at a seminar titled “Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress, Barriers and the Way Forward,” held at the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) building. The event was organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) and attended by journalists from print, television and online media. Citing a WHO report released in September, speakers said around 33 percent of people aged 30–79 worldwide are living with hypertension. Over the last 34 years, from 1990 to 2024, the number of affected people rose sharply from 650 million to 1.4 billion. In Bangladesh, one in every four adults is living with hypertension, making it a major contributor to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Health and Morbidity Status Survey 2025 ranks hypertension first among the country’s top 10 diseases, said speakers. GHAI Bangladesh Country Lead Muhammad Ruhul Quddus Talukder said hypertension is a high-risk condition that often leads to heart attack and kidney failure, adding that although NCDs account for 71 percent of deaths in the country, only 4 percent of the national health budget is allocated to the sector. PROGGA Executive Director ABM Zubair warned that hypertension has reached epidemic proportions and called for stronger coordination among ministries to prevent the disease. EDCL Deputy Managing Director Riyad Arefin said there is no shortage of medicines from the company’s side, but distribution problems occur when drugs are not collected from upazila levels. He added that without proper budgeting and demand planning for NCDs, maintaining a steady drug supply becomes difficult. The seminar stressed that ensuring free availability of hypertension medicines at primary healthcare facilities, along with sustainable financing, could prevent heart attacks and strokes and save many lives.

Effective implementation of the ‘One Health’ approach requires coordinated commitment at the highest level among the ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Fisheries and Livestock, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said on Wednesday. “One Health is not just a subject for speeches. It demands real commitment, policy-level decisions and a collective mindset to work together. The era of fragmented efforts is over; now we need a ‘whole-of-government’ and ‘whole-of-nation’ approach,” she said while chairing a seminar titled ‘One Health Activities: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Strategies’, organised by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock at a city hotel. The adviser said human health, animal health and the environment are deeply interconnected, and only through their integration can One Health be implemented in its true sense. She noted that while humans are victims of diseases, they are often also responsible for their spread. Unsafe food, environmental pollution, excessive use of antibiotics and unplanned urbanisation are increasing health risks, which must be addressed by prioritising preventive and primary healthcare. Farida Akhter said climate change, genetic diseases, food security and public health issues are closely linked. In this context, a decision has been taken to implement the proposed One Health initiative through a single DPP involving all three ministries, with three project directors to ensure active participation from each sector. Expressing optimism, she said Bangladesh would successfully implement the One Health initiative by considering human health, livestock, fisheries and the environment together, setting an effective example for others. Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said development planning must place environment, biodiversity and public health at its core, stressing the need for integrated and forward-looking decisions. She said while roads or infrastructure can be built, natural assets such as the Sundarbans or rivers cannot be recreated once destroyed. Climate change, pandemics and environmental crises repeatedly remind us that every element of nature is deeply interconnected, and humans are not owners of nature but an inseparable part of it. The environment adviser also pointed out that procedural complexities, weak inter-ministerial coordination and delays in decision-making are major obstacles to implementing One Health activities. To overcome these challenges, she stressed the need for effective advisory committees at national and district levels, along with clearly defined focal points in each ministry. Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Health and Family Welfare Prof Dr Md Sayedur Rahman said human health must remain at the centre of the One Health concept. He said the importance of fish, livestock and environmental health ultimately lies in their impact on human health, food security and livelihoods, as food contamination, unsafe animal feed and environmental changes eventually affect people. Describing the proposed One Health project as an ‘eye-opening’ initiative for Bangladesh, the special assistant said its goal is to build the capacity to detect health risks early and respond in a timely manner by viewing humans, animals and nature through a single lens.

More than 500 underprivileged and needy people received free medical consultation and healthcare services at a daylong medical camp organised by Emadia Foundation in Syedpur of Nilphamari district on Sunday. The camp was held at Hatikhana Khanqah-e-Emadia in Syedpur, where patients were provided with free diagnosis, specialist consultation and primary treatment from morning to afternoon. Dhaka Division Health Director Dr Mohammad Jahangir Alam inaugurated the programme, while Syed Shah Mujibul Haque Emadi Al Azhari presided over the event. Among the special guests were Brigadier General Md Nazmul Haque, Rangpur Division Health Director Dr Gausul Azim Chowdhury, Nilphamari Civil Surgeon Dr Md Abdur Razzak, and Member Secretary of National Health Alliance Dr Md Abdul Ahad.

Bangladesh on Sunday witnessed a sudden surge in dengue cases, with five more deaths and 387 new hospitalisations recorded across the country in the last 24 hours. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest fatalities bring this year’s death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 409. Of the newly reported deaths, two occurred in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), two in Barishal Division, and one in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). During the same period, 387 new dengue patients were admitted to hospitals, bringing the total number of cases reported this year to 100,477. Currently, 637 dengue patients are receiving treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, while 2,189 patients are hospitalised nationwide. DGHS data also shows that 62.5 percent of dengue patients this year are male, while 37.5 percent are female. Among the fatalities, 52.3 percent were men and 47.7 percent were women. Last year, the country recorded 575 dengue-related deaths, along with 101,214 cases and 100,040 recoveries during the same period.

Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Farida Akhter on Saturday said that an extensive awareness program will be launched in January to reduce the use of antibiotics and increase public consciousness regarding its bad effects, including antimicrobial resistance. The Advisor stated that various initiatives are planned to prevent unnecessary antibiotic usage and build awareness among the public, which will play an effective role in protecting public health. Adviser Farida made the remarks as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Veterinary Vaccine Conference 2025’ held this morning at the Livestock Research Institute (LRI) in Mohakhali, Dhaka. Regarding the role of vaccines in health security, the Fisheries and Livestock Advisor emphasized the critical importance of veterinary vaccines for animal health, public health, food security, and overall economic development. She commended the ‘Veterinary Vaccine Conference’ as a timely and significant initiative that enables the vital exchange of knowledge and experience. Farida warned that neglecting disease prevention leads to the unnecessary use of antibiotics, thereby increasing the risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). This risk is escalating not only among humans but also in animals. She stressed the need to strengthen vaccination programs to reduce the requirement for antibiotics and underscored the necessity of effective measures to stop the incorrect application of antibiotics. “It is not enough just to rear livestock; animals, like humans, require care, treatment, and disease prevention,” he added. "The health of the animals that humans consume as food significantly depends on human health,” he opined. Focus on self-sufficiency in vaccine production while immunization programs are ongoing to control infectious diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Lumpy Skin Disease, PPR, and Anthrax, the Advisor highlighted the importance of building the country's own capacity for vaccine production.   The conference featured a keynote address by Professor Dr. Robyn Alders of the Australian National University, who presented a paper titled ‘Preventing pandemics, improving food security: sustainable control of vaccine preventable animal disease in resource-limited settings.’ The opening session was chaired by Dr. Md. Abu Sufian, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services. Dr. Md. Mostofa Kamal, Director of LRI, delivered the welcome speech and provided an overview of the context at the beginning of the conference. Dr. Shakila Faruk spoke as a special guest. The event was attended by experts, researchers, and policymakers from the livestock sector.