United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has confirmed its first Nipah virus (NiV) death in 2026, with officials reporting that a woman succumbed to the brain-damaging illness after consuming raw date juice. The case was reported in the northern Naogaon district, Sharmin Sultana, senior scientific officer at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, said Saturday. The patient in her 40s developed symptoms consistent with NiV infection on Jan. 21, including fever, headache, muscle cramps, loss of appetite (anorexia), weakness, and vomiting, followed by hypersalivation, disorientation, and convulsion, according to the World Health Organization. On Jan. 27, the woman became unconscious and was referred by a local physician to a tertiary hospital. Bangladesh reported its first case of NiV infection in 2001. Since then, human infections have been reported almost every year. In 2025, four laboratory-confirmed fatal cases were reported in Bangladesh.

Additional Secretary (World Health Wing) of the Health Services Division Sheikh Momena Moni said on Tuesday that although the government earns around BDT 400 billion annually in revenue from the tobacco sector, losses in this sector exceed BDT 870 billion due to healthcare costs, reduced productivity, and premature deaths. "To prevent this enormous financial loss and loss of life, the interim government approved the Tobacco Control Ordinance, clearly demonstrating its strong commitment to protecting public health. If the next elected government continues this position, there should be no obstacle to passing the law in Parliament. Therefore, political parties participating in the elections must also take a stance in favour of this law," she said She said this while addressing a sharing meeting titled “Tobacco Control Ordinance 2025 and next steps” with women’s forums, organized by Nari Maitree at the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro in the capital, as the chief guest. The meeting was chaired by Shaheen Akhtar Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree while Special guests included Md. Mostafizur Rahman, former Chairman of BCIC and Lead Policy Advisor of CTFK-Bangladesh. Women professionals from various fields have demanded that it be passed in Parliament and enacted into law during the first session of the upcoming Parliament. At the meeting, participants shared that according to the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Atlas 2025, more than 21.3 million adults (aged 15 years and above) in Bangladesh use tobacco. Among them, nearly 200,000 people die every year from tobacco-related diseases—more than 545 deaths per day. On the other hand, tobacco use causes an annual economic loss of approximately BDT 392 billion. In this context, at the latest meeting of the Advisory Council (24 December 2025), the Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, proposed by the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was approved. Under the approved ordinance, the use, production, and marketing of emerging tobacco products have been banned; nicotine pouches have been included under the definition of “tobacco products”; the use of all forms of tobacco products—alongside smoking—has been prohibited in public places and public transport. At the same time, provisions for designated smoking areas have been made subject to government directives; the definitions and scope of “public place” and “public transport” have been expanded; all forms of advertising, promotion, and display of tobacco products— including at points of sale and through the internet or any other media—have been banned; and the requirement for health warnings on tobacco product packaging has been increased from 50 percent to 75 percent of the surface area. Shaheen Akhtar Dolly in her welcome speech said that the harms of tobacco are not limited to individual health risks; they have severe negative impacts on families, society, and the national economy. Citing data from Tobacco Atlas 2025, she noted that more than 11 percent of women in Bangladesh die from tobacco-related diseases. Md. Mostafizur Rahman said that after the upcoming parliamentary elections, the ordinance must be passed and enacted into law in the very first session of Parliament. To achieve this, widespread public support must be mobilized so that it becomes a public demand. Once it becomes a public demand, the government will not be able to ignore it. Speakers at the meeting also included Abdus Salam Mia, Program Manager of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) Bangladesh; Shibani Bhattacharya, Convener of Nari Maitree Mothers’ Forum; Dr. Khaleda Islam, Convener of the Teachers’ Forum; and youth advocates Raisul Islam and Shahreen Ferdous.

Hilsa, Bangladesh’s national fish, has been found contaminated with microplastics and cadmium, raising serious concerns for human health, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said on Saturday. "Industrial effluents from Narayanganj and other districts are flowing into the Shitalakshya and eventually the Meghna River, posing a severe threat to hilsa and other aquatic life," Farida Akhter said at the third convocation of ASA University Bangladesh (ASAUB) held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon. The adviser warned that hilsa contains harmful substances such as microplastics, lead, and cadmium, which is extremely alarming.  "Industrial waste threatens the very existence of hilsa and other aquatic creatures. Keeping our rivers pollution-free is a vital national duty—not just the government’s responsibility, but one that requires active public participation and awareness," she said.  Farida added that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is responsible not only for cattle, goats and poultry but also for the protection of all animals, including dogs and cats. Without proper vaccination, dogs are at higher risk of rabies and other diseases, the adviser urged people to fulfill their responsibilities towards animals. Addressing students, she encouraged youth to take an active stance against corruption, environmental pollution, and unhealthy practices, emphasizing that protecting the nation for future generations is everyone’s duty. Highlighting the importance of natural resources, the adviser said, "Bangladesh is not a poor country. Our people’s skills, natural resources, potable water, crop seeds, and genetic resources are our greatest strength. Future global conflicts may revolve around water, seeds, or natural resources. Protecting these resources and ensuring the nation’s security is a critical responsibility for the younger generation." She also urged students to remain health-conscious, warning that smoking and tobacco use cause severe health problems. "Boys and girls often believe smoking or using drugs makes them ‘smart’ or fashionable, but in reality, it leads to heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses. A new law to control tobacco use has recently been enacted and is mandatory for everyone." Farida advised students to maintain the dignity of their degrees through good conduct, professionalism and character. Hilsa prices soar further putting this beloved fish beyond reach Around 4,000 students received degrees at the convocation, including 2,096 undergraduates and 1,900 postgraduates. The adviser also presented six students with the Chancellor’s Award and nine students with the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for outstanding performance.  

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.