Dhaka, 5 May 2024 : The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Bangladesh, with UNICEF’s support, launched today the National Guidelines on Heat-Related Illnesses to protect children and vulnerable populations, including pregnant women from heat-related health risks.

This event marks a critical step in keeping children safe as Bangladesh is increasingly buffeted by the impacts of climate change. In alignment with UNICEF’s Healthy Environments for Healthy Children global program framework, launched in 2021, the National Guidelines, jointly developed by DGHS with UNICEF support, underscore the importance of a primary healthcare approach in protecting vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of climate change.

These National Guidelines, developed in collaboration with experts from health and other sectors, provide a comprehensive framework for responding effectively to heat-related health risks. These risks, according to UNICEF reports, include that the odds of a preterm birth rise by 5 per cent per 1°C increase in temperature, and by 16 per cent during heatwave versus non-heatwave days, demonstrating that the risk of a preterm delivery is higher during a heatwave – i.e., greater exposure and severity result in greater risk. The preterm birth rate in Bangladesh (16.2%) is the highest in the world and this is further aggravated by heatwaves.

In addition, the Guidelines include UNICEF’s B.E.A.T the Heat framework, based on the English acronym: 1) BE AWARE of heat stress and protect yourself; 2) EASILY IDENTIFY the symptoms of heat stress; 3) ACT IMMEDIATELY to protect yourself and others; and 4) TAKE the person to a health facility if an individual is showing serious symptoms. These directives are aimed at raising public awareness and fostering mass participation in heat-related health initiatives. These guidelines will be disseminated widely through various government ministries, mass media channels, and grassroots organizations to ensure broader community and public engagement.

“Every child has the right to a healthy environment, and we all have a role to play. By addressing heat-related illnesses and prioritizing skills for healthcare professionals, we can help pave the way for a healthier and brighter future for children in Bangladesh,” emphasized Sheldon Yett, Representative of UNICEF in Bangladesh.

According to recent projections from UNICEF and as a stark reminder of climate change impact, by 2050 a staggering 35.5 million children in Bangladesh, 99 per cent of the total child population at that time, are set to face high heatwave frequency – meaning on average 4.5 or more heatwaves per year. This will be a significant surge from 2020, when just 2.6 million children, representing 5 per cent, were exposed to such risks.

UNICEF estimates that one in three children in Bangladesh, nearly 20 million children, bear the brunt of climate change every day. Children are victims of extreme weather, such as the current heatwaves, floods, river erosion, sea level rise, and other environmental shocks driven by climate change.

As the impact on children is diverse, UNICEF is also working on supporting the Government in addressing these risks in the education sector. Last week 30 million children had their classes and learning upended, when all schools were closed in Bangladesh due to the scorching heatwave as temperatures skyrocketed to 40C and beyond. With technical support from UNICEF, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education has organized a workshop with education ministries and directorates to develop a Climate Change in Education framework. This initiative aims to integrate climate change education into the educational landscape, fostering a generation equipped to tackle environmental challenges.

Extreme heat waves have become increasingly prevalent in Bangladesh, posing significant health risks to its population, particularly during the humid months from April to August. UNICEF remains committed to supporting Bangladesh in its efforts to combat climate-related health challenges and looks forward to continued collaboration with DGHS, the Ministries of Education, and other partners in building a resilient and sustainable future for every child.

The A1 – Sure initiative is backed by a robust quality assurance as a part of the global protocols

 Dhaka-Bangladesh, 24 April : GE HealthCare, a leading global provider of healthcare technologies, today announced the launch of its A1- Sure refurbishing ultrasound systems facility in Bangladesh.  The facility aims to bring advanced diagnostic and clinical technologies closer to the rural population residing in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities that are underserved. Refurbishing units enable repurposing of medical equipment, which significantly improves access to quality care to a larger demographic, while also contributing to the environment sustainability goals.

As part of the A1 – Sure initiative, the organization offers high-quality aftermarket affordable ultrasound equipment, complete with 259 inspections and quality checks, equipped with 1-year warranty and financing options. By establishing a facility in Bangladesh, GE HealthCare is looking at offering reliable, safe, and affordable healthcare solutions to healthcare providers beyond the key metro cities of Dhaka and Chittagong. The refurbishing unit in Bangladesh would require skilled workforce and technical expertise. This presents an opportunity for capacity building and local employment generation.

Chaitanya Sarawate, President and CEO, GE HealthCare South Asia said, “Bangladesh is one of the key markets for us in South Asia and our launch of the A1 – Sure unit is a strategic move towards building a resilient healthcare system in the country. The venture aligns with the goal of enabling wider access to quality care, enhancing diagnostic capabilities, promoting sustainability, and fostering local market development. With this launch we hope to enable equitable access to quality care throughout the country, with far-reaching benefits for Bangladesh’s healthcare ecosystem.

 Anup R. Kumar, Business Head- Ultrasound, GE HealthCare South Asia commented, “Bangladesh’s medical diagnostic market system faces a challenge of urban-rural imbalance in healthcare. With A1-sure we aim to offer diagnostic capabilities, which can be crucial for early detection and treatment of various medical conditions. Healthcare providers can thereby enhance their diagnostic capabilities, leading to better patient outcomes. This unit will also help in capacity building and local employment. This A1-Sure refurbishing unit is of strategic significance for the brand, with potential population and economic impact for the country.”

GE HealthCare has a strong footprint in metro cities in Bangladesh working with major private and public healthcare institutes. Since its inception in 1998, GE HealthCare has been present in Bangladesh and committed to technological advancement and healthcare provision in the country. Over the past 25 years, the organization have extended footprint across Bangladesh and contributed to the transformation of medical diagnostics and treatment landscape across the nation. The organization will continue to strengthen its operations in the key metro markets in the country. The commercial operations for the new A1 – Sure unit is expected to begin by May 2024.

Staff Reporter, Dhaka : To safeguard public health, research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) have called for an effective hike in the prices of tobacco products in the upcoming FY 2024-25 national budget. The two organizations have presented their tobacco taxation and pricing related proposals for upcoming FY today (20 April 2024, Saturday) during a press conference held at the Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Auditorium of the National Press Club, Dhaka.

In support of the budget proposals, eminent economist and convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said, ‘Tobacco products are becoming cheaper over time when compared to the prices of essential commodities which is an ominous sign for public health. Considering hundreds of thousands of premature deaths, diseases, detrimental effects on environment and ecosystem- all caused by tobacco, the upcoming national budget must effectively hike the prices of tobacco products to bring it beyond the purchasing power of the people.” Dr. Mahfuz Kabir, Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), said, “Currently 75 percent of total cigarette users belong to the low tier. However, the supplementary duty (SD) on this tier stands at only 58 percent. Raising the SD to 63 percent would certainly reduce the prevalence of cigarette use and raise revenue inflow for the government. The additional revenue would also play a major role in tackling the ongoing financial crisis.”

An analysis of the average retail prices of essential commodities in 07 metropolitan cities of the country (Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barisal, and Rangpur) between 04 July 2021 and 04 July 2023, as reported by the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), shows that price of loose sugar has seen an 89 percent hike in this period, the hike is 87 percent for potatoes, 75 percent for loose flour, 47 percent for pangash fish, 43 percent for eggs, 34 percent for soybean oil, 30 percent for powdered milk, and 27 percent for broiler chicken. However, during this same timeframe, the hike in the prices of different tiers of cigarettes ranged between 6-15 percent only.

The tobacco prices and taxation proposals presented during the workshop are as follows:

The retail price of low-tier cigarettes should be increased to BDT 60 for 10 sticks from the existing BDT 45, followed by a 63 percent supplementary duty. The prices of 10 sticks should be set at BDT 80, 130 and 170 for medium, high, and premium tiers respectively, followed by the existing 65 percent supplementary duty on these three tiers.

For non-filtered bidis, the retail price should be BDT 25 for 25 sticks. In the case of filtered bidis, the retail price for 20 sticks should be set at BDT 20. Both prices should be followed by a 45 percent supplementary duty.

Regarding smokeless tobacco, the retail price for 10 grams of jarda and gul should be BDT 55 and BDT 30, followed by 60 percent supplementary duty. The budget proposals also suggest continuing the existing 15 percent VAT and 1 percent health development surcharge (HDS) on the retail prices of tobacco products.

It was also informed that the implementation of the above-mentioned budget proposals would generate BDT 10,000 crore as additional revenue which could greatly contribute to tackling the existing financial crisis. Additionally, the proposals, in the long run, will also help prevent the premature deaths of 1.1 million Bangladeshis, including nearly half a million youths.

The panel of speakers in the event include Md. Abdus Salam, Program’s Manager (Bangladesh) for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener, ATMA and ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA.

It should be noted that 37.8 million adults in Bangladesh use tobacco products (smoked and smokeless). Tobacco claims 161,000 lives every year in Bangladesh.  In 2017-18, the toll of tobacco use in the national economy (due to medical expenses and loss of productivity) stood at BDT 30,560 crore while the revenue generated from the tobacco sector stands at only BDT 22,810 crore.

Staff Reporter :Bangladesh is witnessing an alarming surge in deaths attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the budgetary allocation to combat NCDs remains significantly inadequate. Against this backdrop, public health experts have called for increased allocation in this sector in the upcoming FY 2024-25 national budget. Such recommendations were highlighted at a webinar titled “Budgetary Allocation to Combat NCDs: Bangladesh Perspective” held on 6 April 2024 on the occasion of World Health Day. The webinar was organized by the research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). This year the day will be observed under the theme “My Health, My Right”.

It was informed at the webinar that NCDs, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, kidney diseases, and respiratory diseases, are responsible for 70 percent of total deaths in Bangladesh. A number of risk factors, including unhealthy eating habits, excess sodium or salt intake, tobacco use, lack of physical labor, air pollution, etc. are at play behind the spike in the prevalence of NCDs. However, the budgetary allocation dedicated to combating NCDs is alarmingly low, comprising only 4.2 percent of the total health budget. It was further revealed at the webinar that despite the World Health Organization’s recommendation for countries to allocate at least 15% of their total budget for the health sector, Bangladesh allocated only 5% of its total budget to healthcare in the fiscal year 2023-24. The government’s health budgetary support is one of the lowest in the WHO South-East Asia region.

Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research, National Heart Foundation, said, “The prevalence of non-communicable diseases can be controlled to a great extent by reducing the risk of hypertension alone. It is crucial to ensure the necessary allocation in the upcoming budget to implement the decision of including anti-hypertensive medicines in the drug list of community clinics along with reducing the amount of salt intake among the public.”

Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, said, “Research shows that investing Tk 1 for hypertension screening and medicines can yield an overall benefit worth Tk 18. Therefore, sustainable funding for this sector must be ensured in addition to increasing the budget allocation to safeguard public health.”

Dr. Laila Akhter, Director of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), was also present at the webinar as one of the discussants. The keynote presentation was delivered by PROGGA’s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova and the webinar was chaired by PROGGA’s Executive Director ABM Zubair. People of different professions from different regions of the country participated in the webinar.

Staff Reporter, Dhaka : There is no alternative to preventing tobacco-related deaths and reducing illness caused by tobacco use without strengthening the tobacco control law. The Honorable Health Minister Dr. Samanta Lal Sen said this today (20 March 2024, Wednesday) during a meeting with a delegation from PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and ATMA (Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance) held at the Secretariat. The Minister also hailed the initiative to amend tobacco control law as “time-befitting” one.

During the meeting, it was informed that currently (as per 2017 WHO report) the prevalence of tobacco use among the adult population (15 y/o and above) stands at 35.3 percent, which is quite concerning. Realizing the extent of tobacco’s devastating impact, the Honorable Prime Minister voiced her commitment to build a tobacco-free country by 2040 and accordingly provided the directive to bring time-fitting changes to the tobacco control law. The ongoing amendment process of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Act 2013 has been taken as a step towards realizing the HPM’s directive.  Some of the proposals included in the draft amendment are eliminating Designated Smoking Areas (DSAs) in all public places and public transports, banning the display of tobacco products, banning so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of tobacco companies, banning the sale of loose tobacco products, banning the production, import and sale of e-cigarettes and other vaping products and increasing the area allotted for graphic health warning (GHW) to 90 percent from existing 50 percent.

The attendees of the meeting with the Honorable Health Minister include Mr. Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Senior Journalist, Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener of ATMA, Mizan Chowdhury, Co-Convenor of ATMA, Mr. MD. Abdus Salam Mia, Bangladesh Program Manager, Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK), Mr. ABM Zubair, Executive Director, PROGGA, and Md. Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs, PROGGA.

Staff Reporter, Dhaka :
When it comes to preventing tobacco-related deaths, there is no alternative to strengthening tobacco control law. Speakers said this today (18 January 2024, Thursday) in a journalists’ workshop titled “Strengthening Tobacco Control Law:  Progress, Obstacles and Way Forward” held at the conference room of BMA Bhaban. The workshop, jointly organized by research and anti-tobacco advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) with support from Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), was conducted with the participation of 28 journalists working in print, television, and online media.

It was informed at the workshop that the draft amendment of the tobacco control law is awaiting the approval from the current Cabinet. Against this backdrop, tobacco companies have become desperate to eliminate some of the major provisions from the draft, such as abolishing designated smoking areas (DSAs), banning e-cigarettes, and vaping products, banning display of tobacco products or packets at points-of-sale, banning the sale of loose and unpacked tobacco products and so on. However, there is no scope to get misled in this regard. The Health Services Division has included these proposed provisions in the draft amendment after reviewing the global best practices. It must be ensured that the draft amendment gets approved without any interference from the tobacco industry.

A recently published report (2024) by the World Health Organization (WHO) says, despite the continuous interference of tobacco companies, the usage of tobacco worldwide has reduced significantly. Currently (2022), one in five adults in the world use tobacco which was one in three just two decades ago (2000). The prevalence of tobacco use has also decreased in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, 35.3 percent of adults (37.8 million) still use tobacco products. Tobacco claims on average 442 lives every day in Bangladesh. The Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her determination to make Bangladesh tobacco free by 2040 to avoid the devastating consequences of tobacco on public health.

Former President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and prominent journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Lead Policy Advisor for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK)- Bangladesh Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Convener of ATMA Liton Haider, Co-Convener Mizan Chowdhury and Executive Director of PROGGA ABM Zubair were present as discussants at the workshop. Mr. Hasan Shahriar, Project Head, Tobacco Control, PROGGA, delivered the key-note presentation before journalists.

Staff Reporter, Dhaka : The government’s recent decision to include the medicine for hypertension in the drug list of Community Clinic is a landmark step in tackling hypertension at the grassroots level. Speedy implementation of this decision is essential to effectively control hypertension-related non-communicable diseases and deaths associated with it across the country by ensuring free anti-hypertensive medicine for the marginalized population. At the same time, budget must be increased in this sector to ensure an uninterrupted supply of the medicine at Community Clinic and Upazila Health Complex. Speakers highlighted these issues at a workshop for journalists titled “Hypertension Control in Bangladesh” held at the capital’s BMA Bhaban on Tuesday, October 31. The workshop was organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Twenty-two journalists working in print, television and online media participated in the workshop.

It was informed at the workshop that one in every four adults in Bangladesh is suffering from hypertension. According to WHO’s first Global Report on Hypertension 2023, the rate of treated people with hypertension is only 38 percent. The report also revealed that 2 lakh 73 thousand people died of cardiovascular disease in 2019 in Bangladesh and 54 percent of these fatalities were attributable to hypertension.

Md. Zakir Hossain, Deputy General Manager (Sales & Marketing) of Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) informed at the workshop, “ The availability of hypertension medicine from all Community Clinics will be ensured from the upcoming fiscal year.”

Dr Shamim Jubayer, Program Manager, Hypertension Control Program, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute said, “Simply reducing salt intake can greatly reduce the risk of hypertension.”

It may be mentioned that according to the report of WHO, 4 out of every 5 people with hypertension are not adequately treated. However, 7.6 crore deaths could be averted by 2050 if treatment facilities are scaled up.

Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI; Obaidul Kabir, Executive Editor, Daily Janakantha; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA were also present at the event as discussants.

Staff Reporter, Dhaka : Excessive amount of trans fat in food is harmful and one of the leading causes of heart disease. Trans fat-induced heart diseases cause an estimated 500,000 deaths every year around the world. Bangladesh is also witnessing an increased number of deaths from trans fat related various non-communicable diseases, especially, heart disease. Although “Controlling Trans-Fatty Acid in Foodstuffs Regulation 2021” has been passed to ensure trans-fat-free food, it has not come into effect yet. Speedy implementation of the regulation is essential to safeguard public health. Speakers highlighted this information at a webinar titled “Trans-fat in food, Heart Disease Risk and Way Forward”, organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) on Monday, October 16, on the occasion of World Food Day 2023.

The main source of trans fat is Partially Hydrogenated Oil (PHO), which is also known as Dalda or Banaspati Ghee. Generally, PHO or dalda is used in preparing baked foods, processed foods, and fried snacks, as well as in food preparation by restaurants and street food vendors.

Monzur Morshed Ahmed, Member (Public Health and Nutrition), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) informed at the webinar, “We are currently making progress in phases towards the implementation of trans fatty acid regulation. Although the companies have claimed to face certain technical limitations in terms of adopting the regulation, we are optimistic about commencing its implementation soon.”

Dr. Abu Jamil Faisel, President Elect, Public Health Association of Bangladesh said, “Excessive amount of trans fat in food is linked with not only heart disease but also with various types of cancers. It is important to establish close collaboration with relevant traders to accelerate the implementation of this regulation.”

According to the WHO report on Global Trans-fat Elimination 2022, 43 countries including neighboring India have implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans fat in food. However, Bangladesh is still lagging behind in this issue.

SM Nazer Hossain, Vice President, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA were also present at the webinar as discussants. The webinar was moderated by PROGGA’s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova. People of different professions from different regions of the country participated in the webinar.

With a staggering 442 people losing their lives to tobacco-related causes every day in Bangladesh, the urgency of this legislative action cannot be overstated. Meher Afroz Chumki delivered this compelling message as the chief guest at an exchange meeting organized by Nari Maitree at Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National press club in the capital on Monday, September 4th.

Highlighting the dire consequences of tobacco use, Chumki revealed that approximately 38.4 million people in Bangladesh are exposed to secondhand smoke, with children and women being the most vulnerable. She reiterated the government’s commitment to making Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040 and implored the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to pass the amended Tobacco Control Act swiftly.

Meher Afroz Chumki expressed her determination to take immediate action within Parliament to ensure the swift passage of this crucial legislation. She firmly believes that its passage will mark a significant milestone in the Honorable Prime Minister’s vision of a tobacco-free Bangladesh.

The discussion meeting, presided over by Nari Maitree Executive Director Shaheen Akhtar Dolly, brought together influential figures including Nachima Begum, Chief Adviser of Anti-Tobacco Parliamentary Women’s Forum and former Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, as well as Shabnam Jahan Shila, Member of Parliament and General Secretary of Women’s Awami League. Also in attendance was Hossain Ali Khondkar, Coordinator of the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC).

The meeting was also attended by members of Anti-Tobacco Parliamentary Women’s Forum Shirin Naeem Poonam (former Member of Parliament), Program Manager of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) Md. Abdus Salam Miah and various media representatives and leaders of anti-tobacco organizations.

Shaheen Akhtar Dolly, the executive director of Nari Maitree, emphasized the severe health risks posed by tobacco, with 1,61,000 people succumbing to tobacco-related diseases annually. The economic burden on families due to treatment costs and the substantial revenue loss suffered by the government annually underscored the pressing need for comprehensive tobacco control laws.

Nasrin Akhtar, the coordinator of Nari Maitriee tobacco control project, outlined key provisions of the amended Tobacco Control Act, including the elimination of smoking areas, the ban on displaying tobacco products at point of sale, the prohibition of retail bidi-cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and the restriction on tobacco company corporate social responsibility initiatives. Additionally, the proposal to increase the size of warnings on cigarette packets from 50 to 90 percent is expected to bolster public health outcomes.

CTFK Programs Manager Md. Abdus Salam Mia said, ‘Tobacco is a silent killer. 442 people die every day due to tobacco. We are now at a juncture where the tobacco laws can be reformed with the efforts of all of us. If we delay even one day in amending the tobacco laws, this death march will continue. Our demand to the honorable Prime Minister is that the more we can amend this law, the more lives we can save.’

Hossain Ali Khondkar, the dedicated Coordinator and Additional Secretary of the National Tobacco Control Cell, expressed his optimism regarding the proposed amendments to the Smoking and Tobacco Products (Control) Act 2005 (Amended 2013). The draft, put forth by the Health Services Department, carries the potential to significantly decrease the number of tobacco users in our country. Moreover, it aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3, strengthening our commitment to achieving important public health objectives. He conveyed his hope that all six proposed amendments will be incorporated into the amended law.

Shabnam Jahan Shila, Convener of the Anti-Tobacco Parliamentary Women’s Forum and Member of Parliament, called for the elimination of designated smoking zones in public places, citing the constant exposure of the Bangladeshi population to secondhand smoke.

Nachima Begum, NDC, chief adviser of the Anti-Tobacco Parliamentary Women’s Forum and former chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, said research has shown that women use smokeless tobacco more than men in Bangladesh. Women are suffering from many complex diseases including mouth cancer, heart attack, stroke. Besides, because of tobacco, pregnant women are having abortions, mothers are also dying while giving birth. Therefore, we demand the speedy passage of the proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Act to protect women’s health.

The meeting saw active participation from anti-tobacco organizations, invited guests, and media professionals, all united in their commitment to strengthening existing tobacco control laws for the betterment of public health in Bangladesh.

Staff Reporter, Dhaka : Carl Zeiss, a global leader in optical and optoelectronic technology, today announced the grand opening of its first ZEISS VISION EXPERT Center in Bangladesh Eye Hospital Dhaka, Bangladesh. This groundbreaking launch represents a significant milestone for the nation’s eye care industry, as the renowned brand brings its cutting-edge global optical expertise and innovative solutions to cater to the vision needs of the local community.

The ZEISS VISION EXPERT Center was inaugurated by Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury, Chairman of Bangladesh Eye Hospital, Dr. Niaz Abdur Rahman, MD of Bangladesh Eye Hospital, Mr. Miguel Gonzalez Diaz, MD of Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Vikas Saxena, Regional Head – SAARC, ZEISS Group. The event served as an opportunity to showcase the ZEISS VISION EXPERT Center’s state-of-the-art technologies and advanced vision care services that will be available to the masses.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Miguel Gonzalez Diaz, MD of Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Pvt. Ltd., expressed his excitement, “We are thrilled to introduce our first ZEISS VISION EXPERT Center in Dhaka at Bangladesh Eye Hospital. Carl Zeiss has always been at the forefront of innovation in the optical industry, and we are proud to extend our legacy to the vibrant community of Bangladesh. Our innovative set of steps, including an assessment of each patient’s individual profile, combined with comprehensive measurement technology, will help provide patients with the lens options for their individual needs. With ZEISS as your ally, one will always gain the best experience available in the market for oneself and the patients”

Mr. Vikas Saxena, Regional Head – SAARC, ZEISS Group commented, “This launch is a testament to our dedication to elevating eye care standards and enhancing the quality of life for Bangladesh’s residents. It is an exciting chapter in Carl Zeiss’s global expansion strategy and reflects our company’s confidence in the potential of Bangladesh’s rapidly growing eye care market.”

Talking about the latest addition to the Bangladesh Eye Hospital, Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury said, “We are immensely proud to collaborate with ZEISS Group for this ZEISS VISION EXPERT Center in Dhaka. The Center is equipped with the latest cutting-edge technologies and staffed by a team of highly skilled optometrists and opticians. This combination of advanced equipment and top doctors at the hospital will ensure that each patient receives best-in-class eye care treatments, personalized and accurate eye examinations, precise prescriptions and tailored solutions to meet their specific vision requirements.”

The ZEISS VISION EXPERT Center will offer a wide range of highly innovative technologies, including ZEISS VISUFIT 1000 Digital Technology which is a centration device that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to suggest the best recommended frames to consumers. It also offers distinguished features such as 180-degree view of the user’s face, virtual try-ons, frame comparisons, and more. Further, the Center

will also have high-quality lenses, perfectly fitting frames, and other optical accessories, all manufactured using state-of-the-art technologies and premium materials.