Antibiotic Resistance Reaches Critical Levels in Bangladesh, Threatening Public Health
A new report from the World Health Organization reveals that widely used antibiotics in Bangladesh are losing effectiveness at alarming rates – in some cases up to 97 percent – due to widespread misuse and a lack of regulatory enforcement, potentially reversing decades of progress against infectious diseases.
The WHO’s Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025, released yesterday, found that Acinetobacter spp., a bacterium causing bloodstream infections, exhibits 97 percent resistance to imipenem, a critical second-line treatment. Resistance to common antibiotics used for urinary and bloodstream infections, such as third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, now exceeds 40–60 percent among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Experts warn that without intervention, common infections could soon become untreatable. “Without stopping prescribed misuse of antibiotics, you cannot stop nonprescription misuse,” stated Rashid E Mahbub, a former president of the Bangladesh Medical Association.
Despite laws and a 2019 High Court directive aimed at curbing misuse, antibiotics remain readily available without prescriptions, and over-prescription by doctors continues. A 2022 study by the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) showed that 67.3 percent of medicine retailers were unaware of antibiotic sale restrictions. The problem extends beyond human health, with unnecessary antibiotic use in poultry farming contributing to the rise of resistant bacteria; a 2021 study detected Salmonella strains resistant to up to 17 antibiotics in Dhaka’s wet markets. The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern, as detailed by the World Health Organization.
The DGDA has imposed fines totaling approximately Tk 8 crore over the past two years for violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 2023, which prohibits antibiotic sales without a prescription. However, enforcement remains a challenge, and many pharmaceutical companies have yet to comply with labeling requirements mandating warnings about prescription-only use. Officials are calling for stronger surveillance, improved diagnostics, public education, and a more empowered regulatory authority to audit antibiotic use across all sectors, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s resources on AMR.
Health officials stated that they are working to strengthen enforcement and improve awareness, but acknowledge the need for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to address this escalating public health crisis.
