Farida Akhtar, Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, stated that the ministry should not be viewed merely as one responsible for fattening cows and goats but rather as a “nutrition ministry.” She emphasized that human and animal health are interconnected — if animals are unwell, humans cannot be healthy either. One major cause of malnutrition, she added, is the lack of adequate meat consumption.
According to Farida Akhtar, the constitutional right to health remains unclear. While issues like freedom of speech and voting receive attention, human rights violations in the health sector are often ignored. She stressed the need to enshrine the people’s right to health in the constitution.
She made these remarks as the chief guest at a webinar titled “Access to Health Care is a Fundamental Human Right,” held on Wednesday (April 9) at 4 p.m. on Zoom. The event was jointly organized by the Center for Law and Policy Affairs (CLPA), the Public Health Lawyers Network, and the Health Movement.
Farida Akhtar further highlighted alarming findings from July, when 12–13 types of antibiotics were detected in the bodies of several injured youths. She attributed this to the overuse of pesticides in agriculture and antibiotics in animal feed. “We demand the right to safe and healthy food,” she said, criticizing the previous government for prioritizing revenue collection over public health. While the right to health is now gaining importance, she noted that fundamental reforms are essential in the health sector.
She also urged public health experts to submit proposals to the Health Reform Committee and the Constitutional Reform Commission.
Public health expert Dr. Abu Jamil Faisal, participating as a discussant, stressed the need to clearly define healthcare accessibility. He said that easy access to medical centers and acceptable treatment must be ensured. “Quality healthcare and the right to health can only be achieved through public participation, awareness, and the free flow of information,” he added.
Dr. Rumana Haque, Professor of Economics at Dhaka University, pointed out that the priority given to mega infrastructure projects is not reflected in the health sector. “It is the state’s responsibility to ensure that no one faces financial hardship while seeking medical treatment,” she said. She warned that if public spending on healthcare remains insufficient, people will continue turning to the private sector, driving costs even higher. Dr. Haque called for free primary healthcare and increased investment in emergency services.
Samia Afrin, Project Director of the Women’s Party, said that women continue to face exploitation and discrimination in access to healthcare. She noted that women’s health receives little attention in policies and legal frameworks, and insufficient funding has worsened the problem. “Due to neglect, women’s healthcare remains far from being ensured,” she said, urging the government to adopt a human rights–based approach and take effective action.
The discussants collectively called for the explicit recognition of healthcare as a fundamental human right in the constitution. They emphasized the need for coordinated, multi-stakeholder efforts to promote good health, alongside a clear definition of duties and responsibilities. Participants also called for free and non-discriminatory primary and emergency healthcare, the formation and strengthening of a Health Commission, and increased parliamentary accountability independent of party influence.
They further urged strong measures to curb corruption and irregularities in the health sector, stressing the importance of involving citizens, media, socio-cultural organizations, and non-governmental partners in disease prevention and control.
The webinar was also attended by Shimadas Simu, Director of UBINIG; public health researcher and journalist Sushant Sinha; and Barrister Nishat Mahmud, Member-Secretary of the Public Health Lawyers Network. The session was moderated by Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam, Secretary of CLPA, while the keynote presentation was delivered by Dr. Sharif Ahmed Chowdhury, Director (Research) at the Bangladesh Institute of Democracy and Development.