United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh reported no deaths from dengue in the 24 hours till Saturday morning. However, 572 new dengue cases were recorded during this period, bringing the total number of cases this year to 93,766. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the new cases were reported as follows: 90 in Barishal Division (out of CC), 132 in Chattogram Division (out of CC), 116 in Dhaka Division (out of CC), 132 in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), 67 in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), 32 in Mymensingh Division (out of CC), and 3 in Sylhet Division (out of CC). The number of deaths remained at 377, as no new fatalities were reported during this period, the DGHS added. Currently, 2,167 dengue patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. The DGHS data also shows that 62.3% of this year’s dengue patients are male, while 37.7% are female. Among those who died, 52% were men and 48% were women. Last year, the country recorded 575 dengue deaths, along with 101,214 cases and 100,040 recoveries during the same period.

The dengue situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, with seven more deaths and 567 new hospitalisations recorded across the country in the 24 hours till Thursday morning. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest fatalities bring this year’s death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 377. Of the newly reported deaths, three occurred in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), two in Mymensingh Division, and one each in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Chattogram Division. During the same period, 567 new dengue patients were hospitalised, raising the total number of cases this year to 92,784. At present, 637 patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, while 2,189 are admitted across the country. The DGHS data also shows that 62.3% of this year’s dengue patients are male, while 37.7% are female. Among those who died, 52% were men and 48% were women. Last year, the country recorded 575 dengue deaths, along with 101,214 cases and 100,040 recoveries during the same period.

Two more dengue-related deaths were reported in the 24 hours till Monday morning, raising this year’s death toll from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 366, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). In the same period, 705 new dengue patients were admitted to hospitals, bringing the total number of cases this year to 90,969. The latest fatalities were recorded in Dhaka and Sylhet divisions (outside city corporation areas). DGHS data shows that of all dengue deaths this year, 51.9% were men and 48.1% were women. At present, 2,345 patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals across the country. Last year, dengue claimed 575 lives nationwide.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar on Sunday said the government has approved a plan to transform Pabna Mental Hospital into a modern, international-standard psychiatric institute as part of its priority to strengthen the country’s mental healthcare system. He made the remarks while speaking at the award-giving and reception ceremony of the 12th International Conference on Psychiatry, organised by the Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP) at a hotel in the capital, according to a PID handout. The adviser said the National Institute of Mental Health in Dhaka has long been facing constraints in expanding education, research and services due to a shortage of space. Utilising Pabna’s infrastructure and improved connectivity it is possible to develop a new world-class institution, he added. Bidhan Ranjan said  recognising promising researchers in psychiatry will encourage them to contribute more, ultimately benefiting the sector and the country. The adviser also called on participants to maintain professionalism and continue practising psychiatry with unity.

The dengue situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, with five more deaths and 792 new hospitalisations reported across the country in the 24 hours till Saturday morning. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest figures bring this year’s total death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 331. The new fatalities were reported in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) During the same period, 792 new patients were admitted to hospitals, raising the total number of dengue cases this year to 83,858. Currently, 1,004 patients are receiving treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, while 3,284 remain admitted across the country. The DGHS report also noted that 62.4% of this year’s dengue patients were male and 37.6% were female. Among the deceased, 52.9% were men and 47.1% were women. Last year, dengue claimed 575 lives, with 101,214 cases and 100,040 recoveries recorded during the same period.

Despite strong links between many physical illnesses and mental health conditions, most physicians in Bangladesh still lack the training to integrate both aspects in treatment — an issue many doctors openly acknowledged on Saturday. Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Interdisciplinary Dialogue to Promote Mental Health’, organised by the Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP) at a city hotel, doctors from various medical departments said the country faces a significant treatment gap because physical and mental health are rarely addressed together. They noted that a large portion of patients suffer from underlying mental health issues, but most physicians are unable to provide appropriate psychological support. Prof Dr Mohammad Safiuddin, Convenor of the Bangladesh Cardiac Society, said a growing number of young patients come with panic disorder-induced chest pain that has no cardiac link. “No matter how much we explain that it’s a psychological issue, these patients repeatedly return to cardiac specialists,” he said, adding, “Cardiologists were never taught psychiatry. We don’t know how to handle conditions like panic disorder. Some of us study psychology on our own, but that is far from enough.” Neurologist Dr Md Abdul Alim Nadim, Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital, said neurology and psychiatry are deeply interconnected but not interchangeable. “Many patients need both neurological and psychological support, yet they receive only one. As a result, they never fully recover,” he said. Dr Mohammad Monir Hossain, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Child Neurology Society, said nearly 30 percent of the population is below 18, and many children suffer from neurological issues. “Bangladesh has only 75 child neurologists. Our collaboration with psychiatrists is also weak. Stronger psychiatry–neurology linkage could transform child mental healthcare,” he noted. Dr Ahmed Sami-Al-Hasan, General Secretary of Dhaka Medical College Teachers’ Samity, said suicide tendencies are high among medical students, yet counselling facilities have diminished over the years. “Psychology is still not included in the MBBS curriculum. Every year new doctors graduate but lack basic mental health literacy,” he said. Women’s mental health received special attention during the dialogue. Prof Dr Md Abdul Mottalib, Convener of BAP, said many women experiencing mental health problems are still taken to traditional healers instead of psychiatrists. “The inability of psychiatrists to reach rural areas is a failure of our medical system,” he said. Dr Musarrat Sultana, Member Secretary of the National Forum of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Bangladesh, said adolescent girls receive almost no mental health support. “Pregnancy significantly impacts mental health, yet women rarely consult psychiatrists. The same happens during menopause — they go to gynaecologists, who are not trained like psychiatrists,” she said, stressing a coordinated care model. Prof Dr Munir Rashid, Vice-President of the Bangladesh Dermatological Society, said sexual health complaints are rising, and most patients go to dermatologists first. “But many sexual problems are psychological in origin — lack of satisfaction, marital distress, reluctance to have children. These are primarily psychiatric matters,” he said, adding that counselling alone can resolve many such issues. Prof Dr Md Nizam Uddin, former head of Psychiatry at Comilla Medical College, urged physicians to avoid ‘one-size-fits-all’ treatment. “Doctors must identify whether a patient’s problem is physical or psychological. We must step out of conventional silos and adopt interdisciplinary practice,” he stressed. BAP announced that it will soon arrange interdisciplinary training and workshops involving physicians from all medical departments.

A three-year-old girl, Afia, born with the genetic condition of albinism, has been rejected by her father, who accuses his wife of infidelity — forcing the mother and child into a life of hardship in Jashore. The victim Monira Khatun, 27, is now living in hardship with her infant daughter, at her father’s dilapidated home in Bajuadanga Paschimpara under Ramnagar Union of Jessore Sadar upazila. Her father, Shahid Molla, is a daily wage labourer and he has no son. Monira claimed that her husband Muzaffar Hossain, son of Majid Molla of Baulia Chandpara village, began accusing her soon after Afia’s birth on November 13, 2022, because the baby had milky white skin and light brown hair and eyebrows. Albino refers to a person or animal with a genetic condition called albinism, which results in the lack of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes. “He kept saying the child wasn’t his and stopped communicating with me. After seven or eight months, he divorced me and left the country,” Monira told UNB. Monira added that she now supports herself and her baby by working in neighbours’ homes. Monira alleged that her husband’s family has not provided any financial support despite a local arbitration held on May 21, 2024, where Muzaffar’s elder brother Abu Bakkar had pledged to send Tk 1,500 per month for Afia’s expenses. “Even after two years, we haven’t received a single taka,” she said. Neighbour Asma Khatun said Monira works in her house and that the community is trying to support her. “But we don’t have the means to do much. If they get government assistance, it would help,” she said. Abdul Gafur Molla, former member of Ward-7 of Ramnagar Union, said Mozaffar left his wife and daughter only because of the child’s different skin colour. “We tried to resolve the issue several times, but his family wouldn’t listen,” he said. Ramnagar Union Panel Chairman Ramprasad Roy said the Union Parishad has contacted Monira and will stand by her. “The incident is deeply unfortunate. In this day and age, such inhumane acts cannot be accepted. We’ll ensure the family gets assistance,” he said. Union Parishad Administrative Officer Mizanur Rahman said that Monira has been advised to submit an application for aid. “We’ll try to help her rebuild her house and consider her for social safety programmes, including food and financial assistance,” he added. Dermatologist Dr. Golam Mortuza said that the baby’s condition is known as albinism, caused by genetic factors. There are many children like Afifa in our country. Its treatment has not been discovered yet. “It doesn’t cause physical illness, though the child should avoid direct sunlight to protect her eyes and skin,” he said. When contacted, Muzaffar’s brother Abu Bakkar claimed the issue had been settled locally but cut the phone call when asked further questions. Muzaffar himself could not be reached for comment. Jessore Deputy Commissioner Md. Azaharul Islam told UNB that the administration would provide financial support for Monira and her daughter, and assistance in rebuilding their home.

The dengue situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, with three more deaths and 833 new hospitalisations reported across the country in the 24 hours till Thursday morning. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest figures bring this year’s total death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 326. Of the new fatalities, one each was reported under Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, and in Rajshahi division (outside city corporation areas). During the same period, 833 new patients were admitted to hospitals, raising the total number of dengue cases this year to 82,606. Currently, 1,063 patients are receiving treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, while 3,332 remain admitted across the country. The DGHS report also noted that 62.4% of this year’s dengue patients were male and 37.6% were female. Among the deceased, 53.1% were men and 46.9% were women. Last year, dengue claimed 575 lives, with 101,214 cases and 100,040 recoveries recorded during the same period.

The dengue situation in Bangladesh continues to worsen, with five more deaths and 1,139 new hospitalisations recorded across the country in the 24 hours till Wednesday morning. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest figures bring this year’s total death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 323. Of the new fatalities, two were reported in Khulna division (outside city corporation areas), and one each in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Dhaka division, and Barishal division (outside city corporation areas). During the same period, 1,139 new patients were admitted to hospitals, raising the total number of dengue cases reported this year to 81,773. Currently, 1,126 patients are receiving treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, while 3,461 patients remain admitted across the country. The DGHS report also said that 62.4% of this year’s dengue patients were male and 37.6% were female. Among the deceased, 53.3% were men and 46.7% were women. Last year, dengue claimed 575 lives, with a total of 101,214 cases and 100,040 recoveries recorded during the same period.

A fundamental virtual reality (VR) simulation system was installed on Wednesday at Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital (IIEI&H) in the capital to provide eye surgeons with realistic, hands-on training aimed at enhancing their cataract surgery skills. The system has been installed with the support of the international nonprofit organisation Orbis International, which builds strong and sustainable eye care systems globally to make treatment and prevention more accessible. Adviser of IIEI&H Zahida Ispahani, Chief Executive Officer Brig Gen AKM Akhtaruzzaman (Retd), and Country Director of Orbis International Dr. Munir Ahmed inaugurated the system at a ceremony on the hospital campus on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Zahida Ispahani said the hospital authorities are very happy to have installed the much-desired simulator, which, she noted, would bring perfection to the training process and help shape the future ophthalmic surgeons of the country. Describing the installation of the machine as another step forward, she said, “It will help accomplish our mission to make the highest quality ophthalmic care accessible to all people at an affordable cost by creating as much human resource capacity as we can in eye care.” AKM Akhtaruzzaman said training through the VR simulation system would have a significant impact on the development of a comprehensive cataract surgical training pathway in Bangladesh. Dr. Munir Ahmed said ophthalmic surgeons receiving training through the VR simulation system would gain greater confidence and competency, and their surgical quality would improve substantially. “The introduction of the FVR system at IIEI&H will potentially facilitate the establishment of a Comprehensive Cataract Surgical Training Pathway, along with the completion of online Cybersight MSICS (cataract surgery) courses,” he added. This is the third VR simulation system in Bangladesh, following the first one installed at the Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC) and the second one at the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS). Orbis International has donated all three units of the state-of-the-art system. Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital Consultants Dr. ASM Moin Uddin and Prof. Sarwar Alam, Community Services Director Gazi Nazrul Islam Faisal, and Orbis International Director Dr. Lutful Husain and Associate Director Iqbal Hossain, among others, were present at the ceremony. Simulation training, widely adopted across medical fields worldwide, allows professionals to practice complex procedures and manage rare complications without risk to patients. In ophthalmology, simulation has been shown to shorten the learning curve and improve surgical outcomes.