The High Court has issued a rule asking why no legal action has been taken against private hospitals and diagnostic centers operating without mandatory fire licenses in Bangladesh. The bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar issued the order on January 18, 2026, after a preliminary hearing of a public interest writ petition. The court directed the secretaries of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the Home Ministry, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services, and the Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence to respond within four weeks.

The writ petition, filed by lawyer Md. Kawsar Hossain, stated that under the Fire Prevention and Extinction Act, 2003, all hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers must have fire licenses. However, official data show that out of 18,113 private healthcare institutions nationwide, only 7,565 have licenses, leaving about 10,518 facilities operating without them. Many of these are housed in unsafe buildings lacking proper fire exits and safety measures.

The court also ordered that the petitioner’s application seeking action to ensure safe healthcare in such risky establishments be resolved within 90 days by the relevant authorities.

A seminar titled ‘Thyroid Nodule and Cancer: Update and Beyond’ was held on Monday at the Block Auditorium of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), where experts stated that most thyroid cancer patients recover completely with proper treatment. Only a small number of cases show poor outcomes. The findings were presented by Professor Dr. K. M. M. Abdus Sattar of the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in his paper ‘Paradigm Shift in the Surgical Management of Thyroid Cancer’.

Speakers at the seminar said research shows that many thyroid cancer patients can remain healthy for a long time with partial thyroid removal (hemithyroidectomy). Some thyroid cancers remain stable for years without posing risks, emphasizing the need for physicians to understand the disease’s behavior to reduce both treatment risk and cost. They also noted that advanced treatment options are now available for more severe cases, urging patients to seek timely medical care instead of panicking.

The event was chaired by Professor Dr. Afzalun Nesar and attended by BMU Pro-Vice Chancellors Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad and Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman Howlader, who stressed the importance of public awareness and research on thyroid cancer.

Intern doctors at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, who had been on strike since Saturday morning, announced they will return to work at 8 a.m. Monday, January 19, following two rounds of meetings with hospital administration on Sunday. The decision came after assurances that their demands, including workplace safety and administrative support during untoward incidents, would be addressed.

Intern representative Mahmudul Hasan Sadik said the first meeting on Sunday morning was inconclusive, but a second meeting in the afternoon led to a mutual understanding. Hospital Director Brigadier General Umar Rashed Munir confirmed that discussions were held in detail and that the interns agreed to resume duties based on mutual consensus.

The hospital has formed a five-member investigation committee to probe the incident that triggered the strike and filed a general diary with Kotwali Model Police Station. The work stoppage began after a clash Friday night between interns and relatives of a patient in the surgery ward, which left four people injured and led to the detention of three attendants by police.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has released a list of 80 vaccination centers across Bangladesh for this year’s Hajj pilgrims. According to a notice issued on Saturday, pilgrims who have passed the required health examinations will receive meningitis and influenza vaccines at these designated centers. The ministry stated that vaccination dates will be communicated later via SMS to each pilgrim’s mobile phone. Pilgrims must bring a printed copy of their e-health profile from the Hajj portal when receiving the vaccine.

The list includes civil surgeon offices in all districts except Dhaka, and major hospitals such as Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, and others. Outside Dhaka, centers include hospitals in Gazipur, Chattogram, Sylhet, Khulna, Bogura, and Dinajpur. Pilgrims are required to complete 11 types of health tests set by the Directorate General of Health Services by January 25.

The Hajj is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia on May 26, depending on moon sighting, with approximately 78,500 Bangladeshi pilgrims registered to perform the pilgrimage this year.

Cesarean operations at the Goaland Upazila Health Complex in Rajbari have been suspended for over six months due to the prolonged absence of key doctors and severe staff shortages. The 50-bed hospital, serving around 150,000 people, currently operates with only 10 of its 19 approved junior consultant positions filled. Among the absentees are the gynecology consultant Dr. Sabrina Meher, who has not been attending regularly since mid-2024, and two other consultants who left without leave. Hospital officials confirmed that Dr. Meher’s absence has led to a complete halt in cesarean procedures since June.

The hospital’s operation theater remains unused, and several critical consultant positions in medicine, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, dermatology, and emergency care are vacant. As a result, only a handful of officers are managing the entire facility. The Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer stated that Dr. Meher’s salary has been suspended and the issue reported to higher authorities. Meanwhile, accident victims from the nearby Dhaka–Khulna highway face life-threatening delays due to the lack of doctors.

Officials expressed hope that upcoming government recruitment through the 48th BCS might ease the staffing crisis, but locals warned that essential and emergency services could collapse completely if the shortage continues.

A fire broke out on Saturday afternoon, January 17, 2026, at the pediatric ward located on the sixth floor of the new nine-story building of Mymensingh Medical College (MMCH) Hospital. The blaze, which began around 4:36 p.m. in a storage room, quickly filled the ward with smoke, causing panic among patients and relatives. Nine units of the Fire Service and Civil Defense arrived promptly and brought the fire under control by 5:15 p.m. No casualties were reported.

Hospital officials said the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, though preliminary findings suggest an electrical short circuit in the storage room. Patients, including children and those from other departments, were safely evacuated through the emergency exit. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as relatives carried sick children down the stairs amid heavy smoke.

Authorities temporarily disconnected the hospital’s power supply to assess damage and ensure safety. The situation has since returned to normal, according to hospital management.

Intern doctors at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital have declared an indefinite work stoppage following an assault on one of their colleagues and subsequent clashes. The hospital authorities have formed a five-member investigation committee to probe the incident, confirmed by Brigadier General Umar Rashed Munir, the hospital director, on Saturday afternoon. The altercation occurred late Friday night in the fourth-floor surgery ward after an argument between interns and relatives of a patient over alleged negligence in treatment, leaving at least five people injured. Police intervened and detained three suspects.

Following the attack, the interns announced they would not resume duties until their safety was ensured. Hospital management, including the director, met with the protesting interns on Saturday but failed to end the strike. Intern representative Mizanur Rahman said they had presented several demands, including workplace safety, and would return to work once those were met.

The hospital director stated that ensuring the safety of doctors and staff was a top priority and that necessary measures had been taken to maintain order while the investigation committee examined all aspects of the incident.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, was admitted to Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) Hospital in Shahbagh, Dhaka, after experiencing chest pain late on Friday night, January 16. BMU Hospital Director Brigadier General Irteka Rahman confirmed around midnight that Manna’s condition was not critical and that he was out of danger. He is currently under observation by Professor Dr. Md. Abu Selim of the cardiology department.

Earlier in the evening, Manna felt chest pain and was taken to the hospital by party members. Central committee member A. Razzak Talukder Sojib informed the media via a message that Manna had suffered a heart attack and was being taken to the hospital. The party requested prayers from the public for his recovery.

According to the report, Manna had previously been hospitalized following a heart attack in September 2024. He remains under observation at BMU Hospital, and doctors have assured that his condition is stable.

The Director General of the Department of Fisheries, Dr. Md. Abdur Rouf, has warned that the use of unnecessary antibiotics in Bangladesh’s fish farming sector is increasing at an alarming rate. Speaking on Thursday at a discussion meeting titled “Stopping Unnecessary Antibiotic Use in Fisheries,” held at the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute auditorium in Mymensingh, he said that using antibiotics without expert advice may bring short-term benefits but poses serious long-term risks to public health, food safety, and the environment.

The meeting, chaired by Mymensingh Divisional Director Nripendra Nath Biswas, was attended by senior officials, fish farmers, hatchery owners, feed producers, and other stakeholders. Speakers noted that many farmers use excessive antibiotics to prevent disease and boost growth, especially in closed water bodies, leaving harmful residues in fish that can increase antibiotic resistance in humans. Officials said inexperienced farmers often apply antibiotics without departmental guidance, sometimes encouraged by drug company representatives and local feed traders.

Participants emphasized the need to ban antibiotic sales and use without expert consultation and called for stricter monitoring and awareness campaigns to protect public health and the aquatic environment.

Students and professionals from biochemistry and molecular biology disciplines protested a new directive by Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) that mandates only registered doctors to sign pathology reports. The protest took place on January 15, 2026, in front of Tejgaon College, Dhaka, where participants called the decision unreasonable and discriminatory. Teachers from related departments also expressed solidarity with the demonstrators.

According to the protesters, DGHS circulars issued on January 5 and 7 introduced new rules for pathology and radiology services, requiring signatures exclusively from Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC)-registered physicians. They argued that this disregards the qualifications of clinical biochemists, microbiologists, and lab scientists who play key roles in diagnostic processes. They emphasized that international standards such as ISO, CAP, and NABL recognize biochemists as qualified lab professionals.

The participants urged authorities to recognize clinical biochemists and lab-based specialists as essential personnel, reconsider the signature-only policy, and establish a laboratory regulatory body to ensure quality control across all diagnostic centers in Bangladesh.

An elderly man named Jamshed Ali Dhali, aged 70, died on Tuesday while being taken from Shariatpur to Dhaka after repeated obstructions by a local ambulance syndicate delayed his transfer by nearly two hours. The patient, suffering from a stroke, was referred from Shariatpur Sadar Hospital to the National Institute of Neurosciences in Dhaka. Family members alleged that local syndicate members demanded an extra 2,000 taka beyond the agreed fare and blocked the ambulance when they refused to pay.

The ambulance was stopped twice—first at Premtala in Sadar upazila and again at Jamtala in Jajira upazila—where the driver and helper were reportedly assaulted. The patient died inside the ambulance before reaching Dhaka’s Banglamotor area. Police said they were informed verbally and would act upon receiving a written complaint. The local ambulance owners’ association condemned the obstruction and called for strict action against those responsible.

This is the second death in six months in Shariatpur allegedly linked to ambulance syndicate interference, following a similar incident last August that caused a newborn’s death, sparking renewed public outrage.

More than one hundred garment workers became ill with vomiting and convulsions on Wednesday morning at two separate factories in Tongi, Gazipur. The incidents occurred at Garments Export Village, owned by MTranet Group, and Bravo Apparels Ltd. in Alom Tower on Meghna Road. Factory authorities arranged treatment for the affected workers at Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital in Tongi and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur. Twelve workers were admitted to the Tongi hospital.

Workers from Bravo Apparels reported that a strong odor spread through the fifth floor shortly after work began, causing many to vomit and faint. Employees at Garments Export Village said similar sickness had occurred two days earlier, prompting temporary closure of several floors. When operations resumed, more workers again fell ill. Hospital doctor Nahida Sultana said most patients suffered panic attacks, with some experiencing breathing difficulties and weakness. Factory authorities declined to comment to the media.

Industrial police inspector Azad Rahman confirmed visiting the sites and said additional police were deployed. Authorities are investigating the cause, and both factories have been temporarily closed.

Nine-year-old Huzayfa Afnan, injured by gunfire from across the Myanmar border, has been admitted to the National Institute of Neurosciences (NINS) in Dhaka. She was admitted to a reserved post-operative room at 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday, confirmed by Dr. Humayun Kabir Himu, Associate Professor of Interventional Neurology at the hospital.

Earlier, she had undergone emergency surgery at Chittagong Medical College Hospital after being shot on January 11 in the Hwaikyang Techchabridge area of Teknaf. The bullet caused severe pressure on one side of her brain, leading doctors to remove part of her skull to relieve it. A medical board of specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, pediatrics, vascular surgery, ICU, and anesthesiology decided to transfer her to Dhaka for advanced care.

Doctors at NINS reported that her consciousness level is 7 out of 15, indicating a critical condition. She is on mechanical ventilation, and the medical team has stated they are prepared to take all necessary measures for her treatment.

A nine-year-old child named Huzayfa Afnan, who was seriously injured by gunfire coming from the Myanmar side in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, is being transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment after his condition deteriorated. Brigadier General Mohammad Taslim Uddin, director of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said preparations were underway to send the child to Dhaka by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Doctors reported that although surgery was performed on the child’s head, the bullet could not be removed as it was lodged deep in a highly risky area. Professor Dr. Harunur Rashid, head of the ICU department, stated that a neurosurgery team conducted the operation and cleaned the wound. The child was initially admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital after being shot near the Techa Bridge area of Hwaikyang in Teknaf last Sunday morning.

Huzayfa is the eldest of three siblings and the son of local fish trader Jasim Uddin. He is a third-grade student at Haji Mohammad Hossain Government Primary School.

More than fifty workers at a garment factory in Tongi, Gazipur, fell ill on Monday afternoon following what doctors described as a mass panic attack. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the Garments Export Village, a unit of the Mtranet Group on Meghna Road. The affected workers were taken to Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital and nearby facilities for treatment, with seventeen later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital. The factory declared a one-day closure following the incident.

According to hospital emergency physician Dr. Nafiza Sharmin, most of the workers were suffering from panic attack-related symptoms, including breathing difficulties and physical weakness. Industrial Police Inspector Azad Rahman said police were dispatched to the site and were in contact with factory authorities to gather more details. Workers reported that the illness began on the fifth floor and spread quickly as panic set in among other floors.

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation while treatment for the affected workers is ongoing.