The proportion of infants under six months who are exclusively breastfed in Bangladesh fell to 56.6% in 2025 from 62.6% in 2019, while breastfeeding initiation within the first hour of birth dropped to 30.4% from 46.6%, according to the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025.
The figures were highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF Bangladesh in a joint statement issued Tuesday, as the organizations called for stronger and sustained action to protect, promote and support breastfeeding beyond World Breastfeeding Week 2026.
The decline highlights the urgent need to strengthen support for mothers and families so children can receive the health and nutritional benefits of breastfeeding from the earliest stages of life, they said.
Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months provides infants with essential nutrients, protects them against infectious diseases, strengthens their immune systems and supports healthy growth and brain development, according to WHO and UNICEF.
Breastfeeding also benefits mothers by reducing the risk of diseases including breast and ovarian cancers and type 2 diabetes.
However, many mothers still lack adequate counseling, encouragement and practical support during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, the organizations said.
Working mothers face additional challenges when they return to work without adequate maternity protection or access to breastfeeding-friendly workplaces. Families are also exposed to inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes, including through digital and social media platforms.
These challenges are often greater in emergency and humanitarian settings, according to the statement.
This year's World Breastfeeding Week theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” highlights the need to expand interventions that have already been shown to improve breastfeeding outcomes.
WHO and UNICEF called for stronger health systems, skilled health workers, community support and wider implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative across public and private healthcare facilities.
They also urged better maternity protection for working mothers, including paid leave, breastfeeding breaks and breastfeeding-friendly workplaces.
The organizations called for full enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, including measures to prevent inappropriate marketing through digital and social media.
They also recommended integrating breastfeeding support into health, nutrition and social protection programs so vulnerable mothers can receive the assistance they need.
Investment in breastfeeding can also generate significant economic returns, according to WHO and UNICEF. Every $1 invested in breastfeeding is estimated to generate $59 in economic returns through lower healthcare costs, improved cognitive development, higher educational attainment and increased lifetime earnings.
Bangladesh does not necessarily need new solutions but must scale up and sustain interventions that are already known to work, the organizations said. They also called for stronger data collection, monitoring and research to track progress and guide evidence-based action.
WHO and UNICEF urged the government, private sector, development partners, health professionals, employers and communities to work together to create an enabling environment for breastfeeding.
They said every health worker should have the knowledge and skills to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, while the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative should be expanded with stronger accountability mechanisms and community engagement.
“Every child has the right to the best possible start in life, and every mother deserves the support she needs to breastfeed successfully,” the organizations said.
WHO and UNICEF Bangladesh said they remain committed to working with the government and other partners to strengthen health systems, empower families and create an environment where every mother can breastfeed and every child can survive, grow and thrive.
