Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain has directed all private clinics and hospitals to set up labour rooms for normal deliveries by next Saturday, warning that institutions failing to comply will have their licences cancelled.
He made the announcement while addressing a program organised by the Bangladesh Midwifery Society in the capital on Monday.
The minister said a profit-driven mindset had taken root in parts of the country's healthcare sector, where financial gain was often prioritised over patient welfare, affecting maternity services.
He said that while most children in Bangladesh were once born through normal deliveries assisted by experienced traditional midwives, the rise of modern healthcare had also led to a growing trend of unnecessary caesarean sections.
Although pregnant women are advised to undergo at least four antenatal check-ups, he said, many are unnecessarily frightened in the final stages of pregnancy with warnings about complications and risks to the mother or baby if a caesarean section is not performed.
"As a result, families often feel compelled to agree to a caesarean delivery," he said.
The minister stressed the importance of ethics in the medical profession.
"After Allah, doctors are the greatest guardians of people's lives. Patients place immense trust in them. If ethics are compromised, it is the patients who suffer," he said.
To reduce unnecessary caesarean sections, he said, all private clinics and hospitals must provide facilities for normal deliveries.
"I am giving a clear directive that labour rooms must be established in every private clinic and hospital by next Saturday. Those who fail to comply will have their licences revoked," he said.
Referring to discussions with the World Health Organization (WHO), Unicef and health officials, the minister said many newborns delivered through caesarean section do not receive colostrum immediately after birth.
He said colostrum is the newborn's first and most important source of nutrition and immunity, and delaying breastfeeding can have long-term effects on a child's health and immune system.
The minister said the government would take all necessary measures to reduce unnecessary caesarean sections, promote normal deliveries and ensure safe maternal and newborn healthcare.