Bangladesh has made significant strides in controlling hypertension, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) second Global Report on Hypertension 2025. The report reveals that between 2019 and 2025, the rate of hypertension control in some regions of Bangladesh increased from 15 percent to 56 percent, marking one of the most encouraging improvements in the region.
WHO Report Highlights Progress and Challenges
While the WHO report acknowledges Bangladesh’s progress, it also emphasizes the need for reliable access to affordable and quality-assured antihypertensive medicines. Hypertension, often described as a silent killer, affects one in every four people in the country. Despite ongoing government efforts to provide free anti-hypertensive drugs through Community Clinics and Upazila Health Complexes, experts noted that ensuring uninterrupted supply remains a major challenge due to limited and unsustainable funding.
Workshop on Hypertension Control
These insights were discussed at a virtual workshop for journalists titled “Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress, Challenges and Way Forward”, held on October 9, 2025. The event was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), a research and advocacy organization, with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).
A total of 24 journalists from the Chattogram division, representing print, electronic, and online media, participated in the workshop.
Hypertension Among Leading Causes of Death
Speakers at the event highlighted that hypertension ranks among the top three causes of death and disability in Bangladesh. They stressed that strengthening the supply chain of anti-hypertensive medicines at the grassroots level and increasing government allocation for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) could be cost-effective strategies to reduce premature deaths nationwide.
Government’s Coordinated Initiative on NCDs
The workshop also noted that 35 ministries and divisions of the Government of Bangladesh have recently signed a Joint Declaration on NCDs to enhance inter-ministerial coordination. This initiative aims to establish a unified approach to preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases, which is expected to play a vital role in reducing hypertension prevalence.
Participation and Insights
The session was attended by Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA. Sadia Galiba Prova, Coordinator at PROGGA, presented key findings and insights on hypertension control, emphasizing the urgent need for sustained investment and policy support.
Bangladesh’s recent progress reflects both effective policy implementation and growing awareness. However, experts concluded that long-term success will depend on consistent access to treatment, health education, and continued government commitment to tackling hypertension and other NCDs.
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