Eleven members of one family fell ill from an unidentified condition in Mogara village of Dattapara union, Shibchar upazila, Madaripur. On Sunday, seven of them were sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment after their condition became critical. The incident began on Friday morning after the family ate food cooked at the home of Nayon Sheikh.

Family members and local sources said they had eaten together as usual when seven people suddenly became ill and lost consciousness one after another. After receiving no response to phone calls from family members, Nayon Sheikh informed relatives and neighbours living nearby and asked them to check the house. At about 4pm, a neighbour found them unconscious inside the home.

Local people rescued the family members and took them to Shibchar Upazila Health Complex. More people in the house became ill later that night and were also taken to the hospital. Sagarika Akter said everyone began losing consciousness while eating. Monika Akter called for checking whether toxic substances had been mixed into the food or water. Dr Wasif said food poisoning was initially suspected, but tests and an investigation were needed to confirm the cause.

Holy Cross College and the Holycross College Alumni Association held the Promoting Cancer Awareness and Breast Screening Programme 2026 with support from Gonoshasthaya Community-Based Cancer Hospital. The programme took place on Sunday morning at the college auditorium and involved about 1,400 twelfth-grade students.

Professor Dr Habibullah Talukdar Rasquin, project coordinator at Gonoshasthaya Community-Based Cancer Hospital and chief coordinator of the Bangladesh Breast Cancer Awareness Forum, delivered the main presentation in two consecutive sessions. Associate Professor Dr Mushtaq Ibne Ayub of Dhaka University’s Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology was the other speaker.

Dr Sadia Habib Arpi provided registered women with guidance and training on breast self-examination. More than 500 guardians and teachers registered for breast cancer screening. Four female physicians and three nurses or paramedics completed screenings for 240 people, while the remaining registered participants are scheduled to be screened next Saturday. Alumni Association President Fahmina Hasin delivered welcome remarks, and Principal Sister Shikha Gomez thanked attendees.

Bangladesh recorded three more dengue deaths and 805 hospital admissions over the previous 24 hours, according to information released on August 16, 2026. During the first 16 days of August, dengue caused 16 deaths and infected 8,668 people, the Health Directorate said.

The Directorate General of Health Services’ Health Emergency Operation Center and Control Room reported admissions from Saturday 8 a.m. to Sunday 8 a.m. Dhaka division outside city corporations recorded 156 admissions, followed by Dhaka North City Corporation with 149 and Dhaka South City Corporation with 112. A further 697 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery during the same period.

Since January this year, total dengue infections have reached 23,978 and total deaths have risen to 70. The reported deaths included two in January, two in February, one in May, 13 in June and 36 in July. The health authority said men account for 61.7 percent of all reported dengue patients, while women account for 38.3 percent.

At least 10 students have died in different parts of Bangladesh after the 2026 SSC and equivalent examination results were released, according to Achol Foundation. The organisation disclosed the information in a statement signed by its general secretary, Sharmin Akter Mim, on August 16. Citing family and local sources, it said the incidents occurred amid mental pressure after students failed examinations or did not receive expected results.

Media reports have recorded the deaths in Rajshahi, Kushtia, Chapainawabganj, Chandpur, Chattogram, Sherpur, Gopalganj, Meherpur, Cumilla and Chuadanga since results were released on August 10. Seven of the 10 students mentioned in those reports were girls and three were boys. Achol Foundation’s compiled data says at least 403 students died by suicide in 2025, compared with 310 in 2024, 513 in 2023 and 532 in 2022.

The foundation called for preparedness and institutional support during result periods. Its eight recommendations include closer family attention, trained counsellors in schools and colleges, hotlines before and after results, training for teachers and parents, and a national suicide-prevention framework. It also urged less result-focused education and more opportunities for creativity, technical knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said the government plans to overhaul what he described as a neglected health sector and treatment system left by the previous Awami League administration. He made the remarks on Sunday morning after visiting the upazila health complexes in Maheshpur and Kotchandpur, Jhenaidah. He said that, under the prime minister’s instructions, all upazila health complexes would be converted into modern nine-storey facilities within the next three years.

The minister said all 50-bed upazila health complexes would be upgraded to 151 beds in three phases. He alleged that the health sector had been seriously neglected during the previous 17 years, citing corruption in medicine procurement, weak accountability and disruptions to health services. He also said the government had received notes of complaints from different hospitals involving medicine shortages, doctor attendance and discourteous treatment of patients.

Hossain said the government has adopted long-term plans to address shortages of doctors and medicines and make services easier for patients to access. Under the proposed 151-bed model, hospitals would have a 25-bed special ward for pregnant women and a separate 20-bed ward for children. He said there are also plans to introduce services such as kidney dialysis at these hospitals.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said an initiative has been taken to establish a modern drug treatment centre and hospital in Lalmonirhat at a cost of Tk150 crore. The facility is intended to provide treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support for people with drug addiction. Speaking on Sunday afternoon, August 16, 2026, at an event at Majida Khatun Government Women’s College in Lalmonirhat town, he said implementation work is expected to begin within the next year.

Dulu said Lalmonirhat faces a risk of drug inflows because of its border location. He said stronger operations by law-enforcement agencies alone would not be enough, calling for coordinated treatment, rehabilitation and public-awareness efforts. He also stressed that families of young people with drug addiction should receive necessary support alongside treatment for the individuals.

The minister called for families, educational institutions, social organisations and public representatives to work together against drugs and build a long-term social movement to protect young people. Referring to the “Alokito Lalmonirhat” initiative, he said public engagement was being expanded against drugs, child marriage, dowry, gambling, bribery and corruption. District officials, police representatives and college officials attended the programme.

The deaths of several young bodybuilders have renewed concern about cardiac risks in competitive bodybuilding. Brazilian professional bodybuilder and fitness influencer Mailson Araujo, 35, became ill at home and later died after posting a gym photo earlier this month in Bahia, northeastern Brazil. The cause of his death has not been confirmed. In late May, 22-year-old Brazilian bodybuilder Gabriel Gunli died of sudden cardiac causes, while other cases have been reported in Brazil, the United States and Germany.

A 2025 study in the European Heart Journal followed nearly 20,000 amateur and professional competitors from 2005 to 2020. It found professional bodybuilders had more than five times the risk of sudden cardiac death compared with amateurs. Of 121 deaths identified, 46 were classified as sudden cardiac deaths. Lead author Dr Marco Vecchiato cited performance-enhancing drugs, rapid pre-contest weight loss and extreme strength training as possible contributing factors.

A Danish study of 1,189 known anabolic steroid users found nearly ninefold higher cardiomyopathy risk and threefold higher heart-attack risk. Autopsies have often found enlarged hearts and thickened left ventricles, though doctors say genetics, training and steroid use may each contribute. Limited recording of steroid-related deaths makes the exact toll difficult to determine.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government wants to build a welfare-oriented state where people do not need to travel abroad for medical treatment. He made the remarks on Saturday at about 11:15 a.m. while inaugurating the expanded 500-bed new building of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Agargaon, Dhaka. He said the government would work to deliver quality health services not only in cities but also in remote areas.

The prime minister said five specialized children's hospitals would be opened in October. He also said no one would be deprived of medical care because of a lack of money. The newly inaugurated 15-storey building has three basement floors containing parking areas and service sections. Its upper 12 floors include wards, operating theatres and diagnostic units.

The facility includes 40 ICU beds, 24 post-operative beds and 112 cabins. Doctors said stroke patients are the largest group seeking treatment there, followed by accident victims with brain and spinal injuries. The hospital also treats patients of all ages with neurological conditions including Parkinson's, dementia, GBS, epilepsy and hydrocephalus.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said work has begun to open one 200-bed specialized children’s hospital each in Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, and Cumilla district. He said the five facilities could be launched simultaneously in October. Rahman made the announcement on Saturday at the inauguration of Building-2 of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Agargaon, Dhaka.

At the event, he also inaugurated the new 500-bed building of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital. He said the facility, with modern intensive care units, operating theatres, diagnostic services and specialized wards, would expand treatment capacity for neurological conditions and support medical research and higher education. He noted that former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia laid the hospital’s foundation stone on October 23, 2006.

Rahman said the government has started work on an e-health card-based referral system and full primary health-care units in every union to bring services closer to people. He also said every upazila hospital would be upgraded gradually to 151 beds during the government’s term. He stressed trust, respect and compassion among doctors, patients and relatives.

Two people died in separate snakebite incidents in Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari, while relatives of a deceased young man attempted to revive him through rituals and spiritual healing. The effort involving chants and exorcism-like practices took place on Friday afternoon in Jurabandha Malipara village of Barabhita union. The deceased youth, Bijoy Roy, 20, had been declared dead by doctors, but relatives continued the attempt for about two hours before his cremation was completed.

Locals said Roy was bitten while putting a snake into a box after displaying snake-related performances at a Manasa song stage. He was admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital after developing severe pain at night and died on Thursday night. After his body was brought home on Friday, reports that a snake had appeared near it to remove venom drew hundreds of onlookers.

Police officer Abdul Gafur confirmed two snakebite deaths in separate locations and described the attempt to revive Roy through ritual healing as regrettable. On the same day, Rohana Akter Runa, 10, died after being bitten while asleep in Noyankhal Baidyapara of Bahagili union. Health official Dr. Nil Ratan Dev said the revival attempt reflected a lack of awareness.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a new 500-bed expansion building at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Saturday at about 10:30am. The new facility is part of the hospital’s expanded infrastructure and will provide wards, operating theatres and diagnostic units across its upper floors.

The 15-storey building has three basement floors containing parking areas and service sections. Its remaining 12 floors include clinical facilities. The building has 40 intensive care unit beds, 24 post-operative beds and 112 cabins, according to the report.

Doctors said stroke patients make up the largest group seeking treatment at the hospital, followed by people injured in accidents involving brain and spinal trauma. The hospital also provides services for patients with Parkinson’s disease, dementia, GBS, epilepsy, hydrocephalus and other neurological conditions. Neurological treatment is available there for patients ranging from children to older adults.

Most union health and family welfare centres in Durgapur upazila of Netrokona are remaining locked, forcing rural patients to return without treatment, a report published on August 15 said. Of five centres across the upazila’s seven unions, only the Birishiri Union centre was found open during a field visit. Patients are being pushed to government and private hospitals in Durgapur town, increasing both travel hardship and treatment costs for poor and vulnerable residents.

The five centres in Kullagara, Chandigarh, Birishiri, Kakuirgara and Gaonkandia should collectively have 25 staff members, including medical officers, pharmacists, family welfare visitors, attendants and guards. Only eight are currently working, leaving 17 posts vacant. The report also said medicine shortages have persisted for about two and a half years. Residents said they often receive prescriptions for medicines to buy outside, which some cannot afford.

The upazila family planning office has four employees against 10 positions, while the upazila family planning officer serves in additional charge and visits on Mondays. Officer Kamal Hossain said two staff members are operating five centres, meaning another centre remains locked when they visit one. District deputy director Rafiqul Islam said shortages exist nationwide and medicines may arrive within three months.

Authorities in Chandpur are moving to reopen the charitable clinic in Puran Bazar after it remained closed for a year. Chandpur municipal administrator and Local Government Division deputy director Md Ershad Uddin ordered temporary facilities to be built so medical services can resume after visiting the clinic last Sunday afternoon. He said residents of five wards in the Puran Bazar municipality would receive free primary healthcare there.

The clinic was established in 1920 during British rule to provide healthcare for poor people. It had long served day labourers, small traders and people displaced by river erosion who settled in Puran Bazar. Known locally as the two-taka clinic, it offered doctor consultations and necessary medicines through a two-taka ticket, making it a key source of support for people unable to afford treatment costs.

The 105-year-old clinic was closed last year, with doctor shortages and other problems cited, increasing hardship for poor residents. Uddin said advertisements for doctor recruitment have been placed in local newspapers and expressed hope that services would restart soon. He also directed relevant officials to arrange a quick auction of the century-old unsafe building, while saying a multi-storey building is planned for the site in the future.

A new 500-bed building at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka is scheduled to open on Saturday, August 15. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to inaugurate the facility at 10am, according to hospital officials. Once operational, the addition will raise the hospital’s total capacity to 1,000 beds, making it the country’s largest specialised centre for neurological treatment.

The 15-storey NINS Unit-2 building has three basement floors and is fully centrally air-conditioned. Its upper 12 floors include wards, operating theatres and diagnostic units. The facility contains 40 ICU beds, 24 post-operative beds, 112 cabins, a 20-bed HDU, 62 ventilators, one cath lab, two MRE machines and two CT scanners.

A 100-bed specialised trauma unit will serve patients with brain and spinal injuries from road crashes and other accidents, with round-the-clock operating-theatre services. Director Professor Dr Mohammad Nuruzzaman Khan said bed shortages currently force the hospital to turn away many patients because admissions beyond available beds are not allowed. He said the new building would enable the hospital to provide care to more patients.

Bangladesh’s cabinet decided on August 3 to cancel the interim government’s Essential Medicines List-2026 and Drug Pricing Method-2026, restoring the 1994 essential medicines list and its price-setting system. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The move has raised concern about treatment costs for patients and families, particularly as inflation pressures household budgets and many people require long-term medicines.

According to Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies research cited in the report, people pay about 79 percent of total health expenditure out of pocket. Public health experts warned that companies could seek higher medicine prices by citing raw-material, production, marketing and dollar-cost increases. The Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries welcomed the decision, however, saying it does not expect medicine prices to rise.

The 1994 list contained 117 medicines, while the 2025 list expanded the number to 297. The government said the newer measures were cancelled because the National Drug Advisory Council had not been consulted as required under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 2023. It said a new essential medicines list will be prepared. Court petitions challenging the legality of the cancelled list and pricing method remain pending before the High Court.