LATEST
A turning point of Bangladesh football Bangladesh considers forming up to $2 billion sovereign fund: FinMin Teachers, students face punishment over AL links Delayed action on workers’ dues will deepen RMG crisis A year on, but reforms remain largely on paper DU tops Bangladesh 29 wards at high risk of dengue Dhaka works to secure wider regional trade access Trump trumped by Democrats Wage talks fail to calm RMG unrest
Skip to content

Saturday | November 07, 2026 | Dhaka

Minister vows free primary healthcare for all

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:08 AM, 07 November 2026

Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain has said the government is working to ensure free primary healthcare services for all citizens and improve treatment facilities outside Dhaka.

The government is taking practical steps to provide quality and modern medical services at divisional and regional levels so that patients do not have to travel to the capital for treatment, he said.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at the 32nd National Conference and 2nd Outreach Programme of the Bangladesh Society of Radiology and Imaging at Shahid Abu Sayed International Convention Centre in the capital.

Zahid said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had allocated the highest-ever budget for the health sector in the current fiscal year. He stressed the need for proper use of the allocation to improve the country’s healthcare system.

Despite resource constraints, he said, significant improvements could be achieved through sincerity, efficiency and effective use of available resources.

The minister assured that the government would provide necessary funding and policy support to improve healthcare quality. He described the development of the medical sector as a shared responsibility of all stakeholders.

He urged medical professionals to work together to ensure that patients could receive comprehensive treatment for complex diseases in Bangladesh instead of seeking care abroad.

He also called for proper career planning to prepare young doctors for future leadership roles in the medical sector.

At the conference, speakers said liver cirrhosis ranked seventh among the 10 leading causes of death in Bangladesh.

They said around seven million people in the country were infected with Hepatitis B, while more than 45 million adults suffered from fatty liver disease.

The speakers warned that 40 to 60 per cent of patients die within a year when the condition becomes critical. They stressed the need for early diagnosis and greater public awareness.

They also called for avoiding unnecessary CT scans and surgeries and urged the introduction of radiation risk allowances for healthcare professionals in Bangladesh, similar to those provided in other countries.

The conference was chaired by Brigadier General (retd) Dr Sayed Awsaf Ali. Bangladesh Society of Radiology and Imaging General Secretary Professor Dr Md Nazrul Islam delivered the welcome address.

Bangladesh Medical University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr F M Siddiqui attended as the special guest.
Delegates, physicians and researchers from several countries, including India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, South Korea and the United States, took part in the conference.