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Sunday | October 04, 2026 | Dhaka

Smile Train Provides Free Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment and Surgery in Barishal Under Prof. Dr. Md. Ayub Ali’s Leadership

 New Nation
 Published: 8:51 PM, 04 October 2026  Updated: 8:53 PM, 04 October 2026

The international donor organization ‘Smile Train’ is conducting a completely free treatment program in Barishal to bring smiles back to the faces of children with cleft lips and palates. Under the ‘Smile Train Cleft Care Project’ at Islami Bank Hospital, Barishal, patients are receiving necessary medical examinations, surgeries, and treatment.

Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital conditions that can affect a child’s ability to eat and speak, as well as their facial structure. These issues can be fully resolved through timely medical intervention and surgery.

Professor Dr. Md. Ayub Ali—a plastic surgeon and the project’s director—is serving as the lead surgeon for this initiative. He was assisted in the surgeries by Dr. Obaidul Islam Sabuj and Dr. Mansur Alam Chowdhury.

During an interaction with the patients’ guardians, Professor Dr. Md. Ayub Ali emphasized that cleft lip and palate conditions are not the result of a curse and can be completely cured with timely treatment. He further stated that a primary goal of this initiative is to ensure that no child is deprived of treatment for these conditions due to financial constraints. He announced plans to continue this program on a monthly basis. The core objective of the initiative is to enable children to lead normal lives and regain their self-confidence through free medical care. Md. Shafayat Khan serves as the Project Coordinator for the Smile Train Cleft Care Project.

Approximately 50 patients undergo surgery each month through this program. This initiative plays a vital role, particularly for children from financially disadvantaged families.