The country’s development will only be meaningful when its citizens are healthy. High-rise buildings, wide roads and bridges, power plants, and infrastructure made of brick, stone, and steel will lose their purpose if people are not well. Just as investment is needed for tall buildings, paved roads, bridges, and mega infrastructure, equal investment is necessary to improve the nation’s healthcare system. Speakers made these remarks on Saturday (August 30) at the first “Bangladesh Health Conclave 2025,” organized by Bonik Barta. They highlighted the importance of investing in healthcare for the country’s sustainable development. The conference, held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon in the capital, was based on the theme “Better Healthcare Brighter Nation.”
Moderated by Bonik Barta’s Editor and Publisher Dewan Hanif Mahmud, the conclave featured panel discussions on public health, private healthcare, specialized medical services, research and international standards, as well as regulations and regulatory bodies for the health and pharmaceutical sectors. Policymakers, politicians, business leaders, physicians, researchers, and other stakeholders in the healthcare sector took part in the discussions.
The Chief Guest at the “Bangladesh Health Conclave 2025” was Wahiduddin Mahmud, the interim government’s Adviser to the Ministry of Planning. Joining the program virtually, he said, “Access to quality basic healthcare is a citizen’s right. But budget allocation for healthcare is less than 1 percent of GDP, which is extremely unfortunate. This is why coordination between the public and private sectors is urgent. It is also important to examine where the irregularities and shortcomings in healthcare lie, and why every year, people feel compelled to spend money abroad for treatment.”
Emphasizing the need for greater coordination between the public and private sectors due to the government’s budget constraints in healthcare, the Planning Adviser said, “Many large government infrastructures in the country remain unused. In some places, there is infrastructure but no doctors. In other places, there are doctors but no nurses. These gaps need to be addressed. If the private sector is engaged, further development of the healthcare system will be possible.”
Wahiduddin Mahmud suggested if small health clinics could be handed over to private management to ease the government’s burden and make use of private sector investment and expertise.
Speaking as a special guest at the Bangladesh Health Conclave 2025, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of the BNP’s National Standing Committee and former Commerce Minister, outlined his party’s plans for the health sector. He said, “If the BNP comes to power, it will invest up to 5 percent of GDP in healthcare.” Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer, Dr. Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, pledged to root out irregularities and corruption in the sector if his party assumes power.
Professor Dr. Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said in his address as a special guest, “Like the police and military, the health sector also needs oversight. But oversight should not mean repression. The regulatory authority must not become corrupt. This oversight should be within a clear framework.”
On the governance of both public and private medical colleges and hospitals, he noted, “Unbelievable as it may sound, Bangladesh has no law for establishing government medical colleges or hospitals. However, we are working to ensure that both public and private medical colleges, hospitals, and diagnostic centers operate under a single legal framework.”
Reiterating BNP’s pledge, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the party had made a collective decision to allocate up to 5 percent of GDP to healthcare if elected. He added, “If people are provided with free primary and preventive health services, social protection costs will decline. When a family can reduce expenses, managing their lives becomes easier. Our policy is based on these calculations.”
The BNP leader further said, “By social standards, Bangladesh ranks among the top in South Asia. Yet this has not been reflected in the health sector. Our people spend more on healthcare than even Afghanistan. One key reason for this failure is that we have not taken adequate measures for primary and preventive health services. These were the government’s responsibility.”
In his remarks as a special guest, Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said, “Like other sectors in our country, the health sector also needs reform. Corruption is a major issue here. Many in the pharmaceuticals industry pay doctors to prescribe their medicines. Companies scramble to take photos of prescriptions to check whether their drugs were prescribed. Because of this, costs in the industry rise by 20 percent. Alongside reforms, more investment in the health sector is also necessary.”
Highlighting irregularities in the health sector, he said, “We cannot deny that there are irregularities in doctors’ promotions, postings, and transfers. If Allah grants us the opportunity to govern, we will first introduce an automation system; then doctors will not have to pay bribes for promotions, nor will they need lobbying for transfers.”
Speaking as an honored guest, Md Saidur Rahman, Secretary of the Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “In reality, the Ministry of Health alone cannot ensure healthcare for 170 million people. We are seeing that 73 percent of services are coming from institutions outside the government. These include various private institutions and NGOs. However, there is a lack of coordination among us. To reduce this gap, we must come forward positively instead of blaming one another. There is no alternative to coming together to ensure healthcare.”
Emphasizing the remarkable role of the private sector in healthcare, honored guest Tapan Chowdhury, former Adviser to the caretaker government and Director of Square Group, said, “There has been talk about controlling the private sector. Such remarks are insulting. We must remember that the private sector has made an unprecedented contribution to the health sector. Unless we give them the respect they deserve, the country will not move forward. Those working in the private health sector—especially doctors, nurses, technicians, and those who manage the institutions—must be given their due respect.”
Participating in a panel discussion on “Regulations and Regulatory Bodies in the Health and Pharmaceuticals Sector,” Professor Dr. Md Abu Jafor, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said, “The interim government has come to eliminate inequality. In line with that, activities have begun to implement 33 recommendations for health sector reform. In this process, the Health Directorate is involved as a facilitator.”
Stressing the importance of the private sector and public awareness, the Director General further said, “It is not possible for the government alone to improve the healthcare system. Nearly 70 percent of the country’s healthcare is provided by private organizations, hospitals, clinics, and medical colleges. Therefore, the contribution of the private sector is undeniable. At the same time, it is also essential to raise awareness among service recipients and involve them in healthcare activities.”
In the panel discussion on specialized healthcare, research, and international standards, Professor Dr. Md Shahinul Alam, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), emphasized the importance of political commitment to improving the health sector. He said, “No matter how much we professionals discuss, the day there is political commitment will be the day the health sector improves. Political leaders have pledged today that they will allocate 5 percent of GDP to healthcare, which is very important, as currently it is less than 1 percent. As focus shifts toward healthcare services, we are seeing a decline in health education. The quality of education is falling because of service demands. If we had implemented a referral system, the situation would have been better.”
Dr. Shahinul Alam also noted that political interference is negatively affecting advanced services and education, urging policymakers to address the issue.
Dr. Azharul Islam Khan, Director of Medical Services at United Healthcare Services Limited, said, “Bangladesh has highly skilled doctors and nurses. Private hospitals in the country offer advanced and modern facilities. It has been proven that all types of treatment are possible within the private sector in Bangladesh. Yet, there is negative campaigning against private hospitals.” He called on stakeholders to move past this negative narrative.
Sangay Wangmo, Team Lead of the Health Systems Unit at the World Health Organization (WHO) Bangladesh Office, said that every year about 700,000 Bangladeshis seek treatment abroad, spending $3.5 billion. This, she said, reflects a lack of trust in the acceptability of healthcare in the country. To address this, she stressed the need for public-private partnerships, noting that government coordination with the private sector is essential to extend healthcare services to the grassroots.
Speaking in a panel discussion on private healthcare, Dr. A M Shamim, Managing Director of the Labaid Group, said, “Everyone says private healthcare charges a lot and makes big profits. I often visit rural areas. Eighty percent of our private healthcare facilities are running at a loss. They are surviving on bank loans or by selling assets. With the pressure of overpriced medical equipment, complications in getting licenses, and new investments, the private healthcare sector is not in good shape.”
Dr. Shamim further added that negative social campaigns against Bangladesh’s healthcare system have become a “fashion.” He said, “Our private sector has many achievements. We worked during COVID-19. India has kept its visa closed for a year. Did anyone die because they could not get treatment? Did anyone say they were dying because they couldn’t go to India? No, they didn’t. Trust us, trust the country’s healthcare system.”
Dr. Md Mosaddeque Hossain Biswas, president of the Bangladesh Private Hospital, Clinic and Diagnostic Owners Association (BPHCDOA), said that despite the significant contribution of the private sector to healthcare, its role is often ignored. He said, “Private hospitals, diagnostic centers, and clinics provide 73 percent of healthcare services, despite many shortcomings. Yet, in reality, the private sector is overlooked. What we need is coordination between the public and private sectors.”
During a panel discussion on public health, BRAC’s Executive Director, Asif Saleh, stressed the need to focus on financial management for improving healthcare. He said, “In Bangladesh, patients bear 74 percent of the healthcare costs out of pocket. This is the highest in the world. We spend billions on healthcare, but we must also think about whether this spending is being directed to the right place.”
Asif Saleh also emphasized the need for a master plan for the healthcare sector. He said, “We need a master plan for our health system. Many countries have excellent models. Thailand has advanced using its model. We, too, can adopt such models.”
Emphasizing the need to reduce dependence on foreign healthcare and build trust in domestic services, public health expert and CEO of National Telehealth Services Dr. Nizam Uddin Ahmed said, “Our healthcare system is in a fragile state. A 55-year-old structure needs to be completely overhauled. Funding for the sector must be increased. Less than 1 percent of GDP is allocated to health, which inevitably forces people to spend out of pocket. About 70 percent of healthcare is provided by the private sector. We need to strengthen trust in local treatment by reducing reliance on foreign healthcare. In the past year, the number of people seeking treatment abroad has already declined.”
Taking part in an open discussion at the Health Conclave, Dr. Syed Md Akram Hossain, member of the Health Sector Reform Commission, said, “We made several recommendations in the health sector reform commission, but none have been implemented. I don’t even know whether the issues we highlighted in the report have been presented at the national level. We wanted to establish a permanent health commission to ensure governance, accountability, and long-term oversight. I am not sure if any work has begun on this. We had hoped that the interim government would implement a new health system in the country, but we have been disappointed.”
SM Mahmudul Haque Pallab, Executive Vice President (Sales and Marketing, Oncology Division) of Beacon Pharmaceuticals PLC, said, “Medicine is a major part of healthcare. A large share of people’s health expenses goes toward medicine. Since the 1982 National Drug Policy, there has been unprecedented progress in this sector. Today, 95 percent of the demand is met through affordable domestic production. Cancer drugs are also produced locally at low cost. Among non-communicable diseases, cancer causes the highest number of deaths in Bangladesh. All stages of cancer treatment drugs are now available in the country. For example, chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer that costs BDT 600,000 in Bangkok is available in Bangladesh for just BDT 60,000. With the right policy support, we can achieve much more progress in this sector.”
Highlighting Bangladesh’s capacity in cardiac care, Dr. Lutfor Rahman, Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Labaid Cardiac Hospital, said, “We have gained the capability to challenge other countries in cardiac treatment. Over the past 20 years, we cardiac specialists have worked tirelessly to make this sector self-sufficient and independent. Now, public and private hospitals cannot be seen as separate entities. We must work together.”
Speaking on healthcare financing, Syed Abu Naser Bakhtiar Ahmed, Chairman of Agrani Bank PLC, said that interest rates on loans for the health sector are similar to those in other industries. “Many discussions have raised the issue of high interest rates for health sector loans. As a banker, I see that interest rates are no different here than in other sectors. After rates were liberalized, state-owned banks are lending at 12 to 14 percent, while private banks charge even higher. Because of high default rates, we cannot lower lending rates further. Earlier, the government capped loan interest at 9 percent, which was irrational. Still, we must explore ways to bring current rates to a more tolerable level,” he said.
Md Abdur Razzaq, Founder and Managing Director of JMI Group, said, “JMI is the only WHO-licensed company in Bangladesh producing auto-disable syringes. For 16 years, we supplied every syringe used in vaccination campaigns, including 300 million during the COVID-19 period. Yet, in the last three years, the government has not purchased a single syringe from us. Instead, they were imported from abroad. Businesses like ours need support.”
Dr. Arif Mahmud, Group Medical Director of Evercare Hospital Dhaka, acknowledged public criticism of private healthcare, saying, “The general perception is that people have little trust in the private sector: costs are high, doctors don’t give enough time, and patients end up going abroad. There is some truth to this. To overcome it, we must set quality benchmarks. Just as accreditation boards exist for private medical colleges, there should be one for private healthcare institutions as well.”
The first Bangladesh Health Conclave 2025, organized by Bonik Barta, brought together a wide range of health and business leaders, including Matiur Rahman, Editor and Publisher of Prothom Alo; Professor Dr. Abdur Rahman, Acting Vice Chancellor of Prime University; MA Moin, Founding Director of Evercare Hospital Bangladesh; Professor Dr. Md Abul Kashem Mia, Vice Chancellor of United International University; Professor Dr. Abdur Rab, Vice Chancellor of IUBAT; KSM Mostafizur Rahman, Managing Director of One Pharma Limited; Professor Dr. Nawzia Yasmin, Pro-Vice Chancellor of State University of Bangladesh; Dr. Sucharita Ahmed, Member of the Board of Trustees at State University of Bangladesh; Mohammed Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Managing Director of LankaBangla Capital Markets; Md Mamunur Rashid Molla, Managing Director of Phoenix Finance & Investment Limited; Md Imam Shaheen, Managing Director of Asia Insurance PLC; and Nasim Biswas, Managing Director of Nasir Float Glass Industries Limited.
Also present at the conclave were Dr. Chandrasegarar Soloman, Chief of Health (OIC) at UNICEF Bangladesh; ATM Tariqul Islam, Country Director of Max Foundation; Anwar Hossain, Executive Director of HEED Bangladesh; Dr. M Shamim Hayder Talukder, Chief Executive Officer of Eminence Associates for Social Development; Dr. Shamsher Ali Khan, Senior Director, Head of Health and Climate Change at Shakti Foundation; Md Maheen Chowdhury, Director (Programs) of Plan International Bangladesh; Ahmad Dawood, Chief Executive Officer of Labaid Dhanmondi Hospitals; Mohammad Faizur Rahman, CEO of United Healthcare Services Limited; Md Esam Ebne Yousuf Siddique, Chief Operating Officer of Square Hospitals Limited; Amzad Hossain Khan Chowdhury, CEO of Golden Life Insurance Limited; Mohammad Jamirul Islam, Chief Executive Officer of Global Insurance Limited; Iftekhar Ahmed, Head of Operations at Labaid Cardiac and Labaid Specialized Hospitals; SM Noor Hossain, Executive Director (Marketing and Commercial) of Labaid Pharmaceuticals Limited; Mizanur Rahman, Executive Director (Operations) of Square Pharmaceuticals PLC; Mohammad Amdad Ullah, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Chartered Life Insurance; Dr. Khair Ahmed Choudhury, Professor at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital; Dr. Tanveer Ahmed, Associate Professor (Plastic Surgery) at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery; Professor Major (Ret.) Dr. Abdul Wahab Minar, Senior Vice Chairman of AB Party and a psychiatrist; Dr. Md Selim Reza, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Dhaka; Dr. Ahmad Parvez Jabin, Public Health Specialist; and Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid, Professor at the Health Economics Institute of the University of Dhaka.
The “Bangladesh Health Conclave 2025” was supported by Square Hospitals Limited as lead sponsor, United Healthcare as platinum sponsor, and Labaid Hospital and Beacon Pharmaceuticals as gold sponsors.