An international scientific seminar on palliative care was held at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU).  Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam was the chief guest at the international scientific seminar titled “Palliative Care-An integral Part of Caring the Sick: The Empathy, Caring and Curing” held at the lecture hall of BMU’s Super Specialized Hospital. In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor emphasized on ensuring improved palliative care in line with international standards, as well as expanding palliative services and research. The seminar held yesterday, Sunday, September 21, 2025, was presided over by Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor Dr. Md. Shamim Ahmed. In this seminar organized with the participation of local and foreign experts, the special guest was Professor Dr. Syed Md. Akram Hossain, Chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology. The welcome speech was delivered by Professor Dr. A.K.M. Matiur Rahman Bhuiyan, Chairman of the Department of Palliative Medicine. The former Chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology, Professor Dr. Md. Sarwar Alam, spoke as a panel expert. The vote of thanks was given by UK specialist physician and hematologist Professor Dr. Amin Islam.
The seminar informed that according to the World Health Organization, every year about 56.8 million people worldwide need palliative care. Of these, 14 percent receive this service. In Bangladesh, at least 600,000 people need palliative care every year. Only 0.5 percent receive this service. Therefore, expanding palliative care is the need of the hour, it was mentioned in the seminar.

The seminar informed that patients who are seriously ill and on the verge of death, bedridden patients suffering from chronic illnesses, bedridden elderly patients suffering from age-related frailty and multiple diseases, life-limiting pediatric patients, patients suffering from various complex diseases including cancer; patients whose diseases are largely or completely incurable need to be provided palliative care. The aim is to provide the patient with a pain-free and painless time through services and equipment before death.