Heart disease accounts for 34% of all deaths in Bangladesh, despite 80% of such cases being preventable, health experts said on Sunday.
They made the remark at a webinar titled “Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease Risk,” organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) to mark World Heart Day 2025. This year’s theme is “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
Speakers noted that hypertension is a leading factor behind cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths worldwide. Meanwhile, heart disease causes one in five premature deaths worldwide, with hypertension as a leading factor.
According to the World Health Organization’s second Global Report on Hypertension 2025, about 2,83,000 people die of cardiovascular diseases in Bangladesh each year, and 52% of these deaths are linked to hypertension.
The webinar stated that one in every four adults in Bangladesh suffers from hypertension. Ensuring access to anti-hypertensive medicine can significantly reduce the risks of heart attacks and strokes.
The report identifies access to medicines as the greatest opportunity to get hypertension under control and save millions of lives.
WHO has also recently said that every hour, over 1,000 lives are lost to strokes and heart attacks from hypertension and most of these deaths are preventable.
Professor Dr Abdullah Al Shafi Majumder, former director of National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD), said: “Hypertension weakens the heart by narrowing blood vessels, reduces its efficiency, and increases the risk of heart attack. Early diagnosis and control of hypertension through medicine are vital to curb cardiovascular diseases.”
Dr Geeta Rani Devi, program manager, Community Based Health Care (CBHC), said: “Despite some supply shortage, we are working to make anti-hypertensive medicines available at all Community Clinics under the Community Clinic Health Support Trust”
Professor Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of Department of Epidemiology & Research, National Heart Foundation informed at the webinar: “The central theme for this year’s World Heart Day is reducing the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases. Strengthening hypertension control at the grassroots level can reduce the overall burden of heart disease.”
Dr. Abu Jamil Faisel, president elect, Public Health Association of Bangladesh, said: “Reducing the risks of hypertension and heart disease requires the adoption and implementation of a comprehensive program involving active participation of the general public as well as professionals across different sectors.”
Dr Malay Kanti Mridha, professor of Brac James P Grant School of Public Health of Brac University, said: "Research shows that a 5 mmHg reduction in average systolic blood pressure at the population level could reduce stroke-related deaths by 14% and cardiovascular deaths by 9% in Bangladesh. We must act to achieve this target.”
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh country lead of GHAI also attended the webinar as discussant.
The webinar was chaired by PROGGA’s Executive Director ABM Zubair and moderated by PROGGA’s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova.
People of different professions from different regions of the country participated in the webinar.
