Dr Zubaida Rahman, vice president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, has called for a nationwide database and maintained register for people living with thalassemia and other congenital rare diseases in Bangladesh. She made the appeal on Friday afternoon at the “Blood Donor Honour 2026” event at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka, marking World Blood Donor Day. The Bangladesh Thalassemia Samity organized the programme.

Rahman said that while thalassemia patients may not be fully cured, patients and their families should receive reassurance through comfort and compassion. She urged screening for mothers during pregnancy and said the disease can be detected through screening tests at any age. She also called for greater public awareness and for diagnostic services to be expanded to district hospitals, upazila health complexes, union and village levels.

She proposed training 100,000 newly recruited health workers on thalassemia symptoms, treatment and ways to reassure patients. She also recommended classifying identified patients as thalassemia major, minor and trait. Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain pledged maximum possible financial support upon application and backed premarital blood testing. Blood donors and institutions involved in blood donation were honoured at the event.

Dhaka South City Corporation administrator freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam has announced a seven-day special “crash programme” in Kamrangirchar to control dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases and ensure proper waste management. He made the announcement after Friday prayers at a mosque beside Kamrangirchar Eidgah Field on July 31. The programme will include daily mosquito eradication activities across the area.

Salam said city corporation action alone would not be sufficient, urging residents to ensure that water does not accumulate in homes, yards or drains. He also called for a collective effort to build a clean, green and liveable Kamrangirchar. The administrator said work was under way on the Inner Circular Road project to expand Kamrangirchar Road to eight lanes, which he said would improve communication and change the area’s overall outlook.

He urged people not to dump waste, rubbish or polythene into the Old Buriganga Channel and to play an active role in preventing river encroachment. Salam also called for social resistance against drugs, extortion and encroachment, while stressing clean and encroachment-free roads, drains and playgrounds. After his speech, he inspected several locations and planted trees near the Buriganga River.

Five people died in Lakhai upazila of Habiganj after consuming an intoxicating liquid, police said. They became ill after drinking the substance on Tuesday night and died at different times on Wednesday and Thursday. Police recovered one body and sent it to the morgue at Habiganj Sadar Modern Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The dead were Sudeb Das, 60, and Sujit Das, 35, of Morakari village; Nandalal Rabidas, 52, and his wife Subi Rabidas, 40, of Bhadikara village; and Ranjit, 45, from the Chowdhury Bazar area of Habiganj town. Local sources said they regularly collected an alcohol-based liquid from Hanimann Homeo Hall in Morakari Bazar for intoxication.

Sujit died while being taken to Brahmanbaria District Sadar Hospital, Sudeb died at Habiganj District Sadar Hospital, and Ranjit died while being taken to Dhaka. Nandalal and Subi died at home. Lakhai police station officer-in-charge Sharif Ahmed said some bodies were cremated without police being informed. Police are examining the liquid’s source, whether it contained toxic substances, and possible involvement of others.

Bangladesh recorded 36 dengue deaths and 9,206 hospital admissions during July, according to a July 31, 2026 bulletin from the Directorate General of Health Services' Health Emergency Operation Center and Control Room. In the previous 24 hours, one person died and 153 patients were admitted to hospital. The day before, three deaths and 467 admissions were reported.

From 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday, Chattogram division outside city corporation areas reported 69 admissions, while Dhaka division outside city corporation areas reported 50. Dhaka North City Corporation recorded 11 admissions, Dhaka South City Corporation 15, and Barishal and Khulna divisions four each. During the same period, 154 patients were discharged after recovery.

Since January, total dengue admissions have reached 15,310 and deaths have risen to 54. Deaths included two each in January and February, one in May, 13 in June and 36 in July. Dhaka division has recorded the highest death toll, with 25 deaths. Barishal division has the most patients, at 3,312. Men account for 61.5 percent of infections and women 38.5 percent.

A report published on July 31, 2026 says use of monosodium glutamate, or tasting salt, is expanding in restaurants, fast-food outlets, wedding meals and home cooking in Bangladesh. Medical and nutrition experts cited in the report urged people to limit consumption, warning of potential long-term health risks from frequent and excessive intake. The additive is reported to be used in foods including halim, fuchka, grilled items, pizza, noodles, chips and soup.

Doctors and nutritionists said tasting salt may harm the nervous system and could be associated with headaches, heartburn, muscle pain, reduced memory and other health problems. They said children and adolescents may face greater risks because many of the foods containing the additive are appealing to them. A National Food Safety Laboratory survey by the Institute of Public Health reportedly found excessive tasting salt in potato chips and in 55 noodle, popcorn and French-fry products.

BSTI said tasting salt is not among the 154 products it oversees, while monosodium glutamate is not prohibited for import. IEDCR Director Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina said no research on the issue has yet been conducted in the country, though the institute has long raised public awareness about avoiding it. Experts also recommended natural alternatives such as tomatoes to improve flavour.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said Rangpur Medical College Hospital plans to recruit additional personnel through outsourcing to curb the influence of broker networks. Speaking to journalists after a hospital management committee meeting on Thursday, he said the government was taking steps to stop harassment of patients and relatives and improve service standards at the hospital.

Dulu said hospital officers and employees have been instructed to wear identification cards and designated uniforms so patients and relatives can distinguish genuine staff from brokers and avoid fraud. Other planned measures include bringing the entire hospital under CCTV surveillance, establishing a police control room, ensuring adequate nighttime lighting, and strengthening security.

The minister said ICU capacity would rise from 10 beds to 20 within the next two months. He also said steps would be taken to address a shortage of anaesthesia specialists to maintain round-the-clock surgical services. To prevent irregularities in transporting bodies, hearse ambulances will be registered, kilometre-based fares will be set through a chart, and bills will be paid through vouchers. Dulu said the measures should help create a patient-friendly environment and reduce broker activity and irregularities.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said anyone using force against Ansar members or committing criminal offences in future will face strict legal action and criminal cases. He made the remarks on Thursday in Rangpur, after a meeting of the management committee of Rangpur Medical College Hospital during a five-day visit. He also announced several measures to improve medical services and security at the hospital.

The minister said complaints had been received that Ansar members are sometimes subjected to force when they try to stop people, and that a recent incident had left them psychologically weakened. He described the hospital as a principal source of treatment for poor, lower-middle-income and middle-income people in the northern region. However, he said mismanagement, corruption and neglect over 17 years had affected the institution.

Dulu said 10 more ICU beds would be added to the existing 10 within two months. CCTV coverage is planned within one month, while high-powered lighting is to be installed within seven days and a police control room established. He also announced plans for ambulance registration and fare charts, additional outsourced staff to curb brokers, and measures to ensure round-the-clock surgical services.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called for active cooperation from doctors to make Bangladesh’s health sector stronger and more people-oriented. He made the remarks as chief guest at the BCS Health Cadre Association’s First Health Cadre Day-2026 at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Fakhrul said the number of doctors remains inadequate relative to the country’s population. He also cited staffing and infrastructure shortages at government hospitals, saying these constraints have made it difficult to ensure the desired level of healthcare. He said the government and doctors must work in coordination to make the health sector effective.

The minister said the government wants to address various past irregularities in the health sector and build a modern, public-friendly healthcare system. He urged doctors serving at upazila and district levels to remain responsibly at their workplaces and ensure services for ordinary people. Stressing the need for safe working conditions, he said the government would seriously consider doctors’ legitimate demands and that he would stand beside efforts to improve the sector and resolve doctors’ problems.

Representatives of leading Bangladeshi industries called for private research findings on microplastics or harmful substances in toothpaste and other products to be shared with regulators before publication. At a public hearing held Thursday at the BSTI headquarters in Tejgaon, Dhaka, they also urged the development of a clear law or policy governing publication of such research reports.

BSTI Director General Kazi Imdadul Haque said the agency values research and wants high-quality studies in the country, but cautioned against creating public panic or instability. He said it would have been better if BSTI had been informed before publication of the toothpaste research. He added that no global standard currently specifies permissible levels of microplastics in toothpaste.

Haque said a relevant BSTI expert committee will examine ISO and other international standards before taking necessary action. Industry representatives argued that unverified or incomplete findings can confuse consumers and trigger negative media and social-media campaigns that damage companies’ markets and reputations. The hearing also discussed online payments, online submission of applications and documents, online licence renewals, standards for growing-up milk for children aged three to five, and updates to packaging-product laws and regulations.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said medicines alone cannot protect a nation from disease and urged greater focus on prevention alongside treatment. He made the remarks on Thursday at the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine in Mohakhali, Dhaka, during an event releasing results of research activities funded under the 2025-26 revenue budget. He called for innovative preventive measures beginning from birth.

Addressing doctors, the minister said a physician’s smile and compassionate conduct can help patients recover, adding that care involves more than tablets or medicines. He said kind words and appropriate advice are also important for patients. He expressed concern over what he described as a sharp increase in kidney and cancer patients in the country and noted the severe suffering faced by people with those illnesses.

The minister said the government has pledged to ensure healthcare for all and that no citizen should remain outside health services. He urged research and awareness work focused on rural health. Prime Minister’s health affairs special assistant Dr. M. M. Ziauddin Haider advised researchers to visit upazila hospitals and consult staff before presenting data, so actual problems and areas of conflict can be identified and addressed.

Charumati, born in Pabna before completing 26 weeks of gestation and weighing just 600 grams at birth, has returned home with her parents after nearly two months of intensive specialized treatment at Labaid Hospital in Dhaka. The older of twins, Charumati faced an uncertain start after her twin brother died at birth. She was then admitted to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.

Her weight had risen to 760 grams when she was discharged. A dedicated team of neonatal specialists, nurses and other healthcare workers provided continuous care, the report said. Doctors described her recovery as an example of medical staff commitment, modern neonatal treatment, hospital support, and her parents’ love and patience.

Charumati was also the first child to receive treatment in Labaid Hospital’s Kangaroo Mother Care unit. The approach emphasizes prolonged mother-child contact, breastfeeding and close medical monitoring. The hospital held a celebratory event attended by senior consultants, pediatricians, nurses and officials, while her parents thanked the hospital for its care and support. She will require regular follow-up and specialized care in the coming days.

Reports published on July 30, 2026 said multiple studies found concerning levels of microplastics in everyday soybean oil, milk and sugar in Bangladesh. Researchers attributed contamination to food processing, plastic packaging and environmental pollution. Loose soybean oil contained 45,000 to 70,000 particles per litre, while bottled soybean oil contained 44,000 to 54,000 particles per litre, according to the reported findings.

Processed milk contained an average 156.06 particles per 10 millilitres, compared with 93.39 in raw milk. Loose sugar contained about 403 particles per kilogram and branded packaged sugar about 322. A study led by Jashore University of Science and Technology professor Md Omar Faruk found polymers including PTFE, PET, nylon-6 and PVC in milk samples. Jahangirnagar University researcher Dr Shafi Muhammad Tareq described the levels reported in soybean oil as alarming.

BSTI urged people to remain aware rather than panic, saying no brand or product should be declared unsafe without complete scientific and legal verification. It said it was gathering information from research institutions, manufacturers and importers and would take legal action over violations of standards. Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman called the issue a global public-health crisis and said coordinated action would be taken quickly.

Dr Sheikh Sadiul Islam says he went voluntarily to Dhaka’s Pangu Hospital on the night of July 19, 2024, during a curfew, without an official instruction or phone call. Though formally the resident surgeon, he wrote that he lacked administrative authority and travelled because he felt a professional and moral duty to help injured people. Wearing his hospital identification card, he first walked to his private chamber’s hospital and later reached Pangu Hospital in a vehicle carrying several other doctors.

On arrival, he said there were files for at least 70 to 80 patients outside the emergency department and another 40 to 50 patients in operating theatres. Most had been injured in the movement, including gunshot wounds, crushed bones and uncontrolled bleeding. With limited staff and a large number of patients, doctors operated through the night and provided emergency treatment, including bleeding control, wound cleaning and temporary stabilization where immediate bullet removal was not undertaken.

He left around 7 a.m. and waited about an hour for transport before taking a CNG vehicle to Bailey Road for 800 taka. Checkpoints and barricades turned an approximately seven-kilometre journey into a 14-kilometre route. He said he received no special facility or hospital ambulance and went solely out of conscience.

Rangpur Community Medical College Hospital has announced a free hernia and hydrocele surgery programme for financially disadvantaged and underprivileged patients. The initiative was inaugurated on Wednesday afternoon at the hospital premises by Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud. Hospital authorities said eligible patients facing financial hardship will be able to receive the necessary operations entirely free of charge.

At the opening event, the police commissioner described free medical care for impoverished people as a noble initiative that would make health services more people-oriented and humane. He praised the hospital authorities for the effort. Rangpur Group Managing Director Nazmul Ahsan Sarkar said the hospital is committed not only to providing treatment but also to conducting public welfare activities as part of its social responsibility.

Speakers said the hospital has been working to make quality healthcare more accessible to low- and middle-income people. Authorities said the programme will benefit patients who had been unable to undergo surgery for a long time because of treatment costs. The hospital also expressed its commitment to continue similar welfare programmes to make healthcare more humane and accessible.

Two female Israeli soldiers died by suicide this week, bringing the number of active-duty Israeli military personnel who have died by suicide in 2026 to 16, according to a report published July 29. One soldier from the Bardelas Battalion, deployed on the Egypt-Israel border, died Tuesday morning at a military base in southern Israel after being taken to hospital in critical condition.

Another female soldier died by suicide on Sunday at the Glilot military base near Ramat Hasharon in central Israel, Haaretz reported. She was a member of Israel’s military intelligence division and held a confidential role. Israeli military police have opened investigations into the circumstances of both deaths, according to the newspaper.

Haaretz’s collected data also showed that nine additional regular and reserve personnel who took part in the Gaza war died by suicide while off duty. The newspaper had previously reported that 22 active-duty Israeli soldiers died by suicide in 2025, the highest annual total in 15 years. Concerns have grown over prolonged psychological pressure and military mental health, although the Israeli military has made no official comment on a direct link to the war.