AIDS in Bangladesh: The Hidden Crisis Demanding Stronger Government Action

 

December 1 marks the annual global observance of World AIDS Day. AIDS—Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome—remains one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity, with no cure yet developed. It continues to pose a grave threat to global civilization. When HIV enters the body, it targets and destroys immune cells, weakening the body’s natural defenses and leaving individuals highly vulnerable to other infections. AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection, in which the immune system becomes critically compromised and various opportunistic diseases proliferate.

Bangladesh, like other countries, observes World AIDS Day on December 1 each year. Since its inception in 1988, the day has been commemorated worldwide to raise awareness and promote preventive measures. Approximately 40 million people globally are living with HIV, and an estimated 10 million remain unaware of their infection. The global theme for World AIDS Day 2025 is “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.”

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a microscopic organism smaller than bacteria, invisible under a standard microscope. Scientists worldwide continue to work tirelessly in search of a cure or definitive treatment. For those infected, premature death has historically been the most feared outcome. In an age of scientific advancement, HIV still evokes widespread concern because the infection is detectable only through blood tests. The time between infection and onset of symptoms varies greatly, ranging from a few months to as long as 10–15 years. Studies indicate that around 75 percent of people with HIV progress to AIDS within a decade.

The origins of this silent killer disease—where it emerged and how—remain a topic of debate among scientists. Yet research has led to a broad consensus that the disease first spread in the 1950s among impoverished farming communities in remote regions of Africa. By the 1960s and 1970s, traces of the AIDS pathogen had begun to appear in other parts of the world as well. Some researchers argue that the earliest presence of the AIDS, or HIV virus was found in a species of green monkey native to Central Africa.

The disease was first recognized in 1980. In 1981, several U.S. patients were diagnosed with pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinae (now Pneumocystis jirovecii), followed by cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma in Africa, which further aided identification. Scientific research traces the origins of the virus to the 1920s in Kinshasa (formerly Leopoldville) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attributing its emergence to rapid population growth and unsafe sexual practices. 

AIDS does not present with a single set of definitive symptoms; manifestations differ widely across regions. Common indicators include persistent or recurrent fever without a clear cause, extreme fatigue, significant weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, chronic cough, shortness of breath, joint swelling, and frequent infections such as tuberculosis or pneumonia. Additional symptoms may include chronic diarrhoea that does not respond to typical treatment, declining vision, and severe headaches. However, these symptoms alone cannot confirm AIDS. Individuals at risk should seek medical evaluation promptly if such signs appear.

A lack of awareness, poor understanding, and the absence of healthy life practices are the primary risk factors behind this disease. HIV can be transmitted through specific pathways: transfusion of blood or blood products from an HIV-positive individual; sharing unsterilized personal items such as toothbrushes, needles, syringes, blades, or medical instruments used by an infected person; transplanting organs from HIV-positive donors; transmission from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding; and through unsafe sexual behavior without proper protection. The risk also increases with substance misuse among youth—especially when the same needle is used repeatedly—as well as through cross-border mobility, labor migration, and human trafficking. Overall, a lack of awareness and reliable information significantly heightens the risk of HIV transmission.

Yet misconceptions remain widespread. HIV does not spread through air, water, food, mosquito or insect bites; nor through touching, sharing space, everyday interaction, coughing, sneezing, saliva, or breathing. Using the same washroom, utensils, bedding, or household items as an HIV-positive person does not pose a risk. Healthcare workers—doctors, nurses, and hospital staff—caring for HIV-positive patients are also safe when standard procedures are followed. Even other patients in a hospital ward face no transmission risk simply by being nearby.

Once infected, it is extremely difficult to reverse the condition, making prevention the most crucial approach. Preventive measures include screening donor blood for HIV before transfusion, ensuring HIV testing in organ transplantation, using new and sterile needles or syringes for every injection, avoiding unsafe sexual behavior, and seeking medical advice for pregnancy or breastfeeding if the mother is HIV-positive. Public education must be strengthened through regular dissemination of accurate information across media platforms to encourage awareness and prevention.

Today the deadly disease has spread across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. India has already become one of the world’s largest HIV-affected countries. Bangladesh identified its first HIV-positive case in 1989. Remarkably, that individual is still alive and healthy, staying under regular medical care. According to UNAIDS, Bangladesh’s HIV prevalence stands at around 0.1% of the population, with more than 14,000 people living with HIV. However, only about 8,000 of them are currently receiving treatment. This year alone, 205 people have died from AIDS-related causes, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,588. Because of regional proximity and cross-border dynamics, Bangladesh remains at high risk.

Data from the National AIDS/STD Control (NASC) Program show that among the 729 newly diagnosed cases last year, 420 were men, 210 women, and 12 individuals from the third-gender community. Among these new cases: 26% (186 cases) were from the general population; 26% (188 cases) were Rohingya; 20% (144 cases) were returning migrant workers and their families; 8% (61 cases) were people using injectable drugs; 2% (17 cases) were female sex workers; 9% (67 cases) were homosexuals; 7% (53 cases) were male sex workers; and 2% (13 cases) were transgender individuals.

The government has prioritized 23 districts with higher detection rates. Services for HIV-positive individuals are now available in 28 testing centers and 11 treatment facilities, including four government hospitals providing free medication. The state spends roughly 20,000–25,000 taka per month for the treatment of each patient.

Bangladesh has pledged to the United Nations that it will eliminate AIDS by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Achieving this requires collective effort—government, private institutions, and citizens working together with a unified commitment. To protect society—especially young people—from this deadly disease, awareness must be expanded. In Bangladesh, the number of HIV-positive cases continues to rise largely due to insufficient knowledge and understanding. Since no definitive cure exists, prevention remains the only effective pathway. This demands widespread public education, and both government and non-government organizations must take active roles. Only through joint action and sustained, effective measures can AIDS be prevented and ultimately eradicated. 


Emran Emon is a journalist,
columnist and a global
affairs analyst.