A two-day human rights-based training for members of law enforcement agencies was held to strengthen HIV prevention programmes in Bangladesh. The training was organized by Save the Children International in Bangladesh in collaboration with the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Bangladesh Chapter.
The training was held on 13 and 14 September 2026. The sessions covered important topics including human rights, HIV prevention, public health, gender-sensitive law enforcement, mental health, and rights-based service delivery.
The Additional Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control, Mohammad Golam Azam, attended the first day’s programme as the Chief Guest. Save the Children Country Director Suman Sengupta delivered the welcome remarks.
Sessions were conducted by Ejazul Islam Chowdhury of Save the Children, Dr. Mohammad Shariful Islam Khan of icddr,b, Dr. Saima Khan, former Country Director of UNAIDS Bangladesh, and Dr. Khairuzzaman, Director of the National AIDS/STD Control Programme of the Directorate General of Health Services, along with other relevant experts.
Rakhi Ganguly, Senior Psychologist and Addiction Professional of the Health and Nutrition Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission and Chair of the Communication and Networking Standing Committee of ISSUP Bangladesh Chapter, conducted an important session on the activities, goals and role of ISSUP and ISSUP Bangladesh Chapter.
On the second day, sessions were conducted by K. S. M. Tariq, Ejazul Islam Chowdhury, Tajul Islam of PSTC, Md. Abutaher, HIV Coordinator of the UNODC Bangladesh Office, and Rakhi Ganguly on various topics. Rakhi Ganguly also conducted a participatory session on the relationship between mental health and human rights and a counselling case study.
The speakers said that protecting human rights helps strengthen public health. They stressed the need to ensure a non-discriminatory, humane, safe and rights-based environment for HIV prevention and service delivery.
The two-day training concluded successfully with a commitment to building a more humane, inclusive and effective HIV prevention system through an integrated approach to human rights and public health.