Khairul Alam; Dbarta24 – Exclusive breastfeeding rates in Bangladesh are facing an alarming decline, with 45% of newborns deprived of exclusively receiving their mother’s milk during their first six months of life.
Public health experts revealed these concerning statistics at a seminar marking World Breastfeeding Week 2026, pointing to widespread commercial violations, failing hospital standards, and a lack of systemic maternal support.
Organized jointly by the Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) and the Health Education and Family Welfare Division of the Ministry of Health at the Institute of Public Health, the seminar brought together prominent pediatricians, obstetricians, researchers, and nutritionists.
Historically, Bangladesh was a regional leader in infant nutrition, ranking first among developing nations in 2020 for exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Data shows that while 65% of infants aged up to six months were exclusively breastfed during 2017–2018, that number has now plummeted to 55%.
The nation currently stands sixth globally, and experts warn that recent outbreaks of measles have further underscored the life-saving importance of early initiation of breastfeeding and colostrum feeding.
Speakers at the event highlighted that the drop in breastfeeding is not the fault of mothers, but rather a systemic failure involving lack of institutional care, insufficient maternity leave, and illegal marketing by commercial baby food manufacturers.
Recent BBF observations conducted between April and June 2026 across 12 healthcare facilities, 260 medicine shops, and 48 online platforms revealed severe regulatory breaches:
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Commercial Violations: 100% of surveyed shops openly displayed breastmilk substitutes in violation of the Breastmilk Substitutes (Marketing Control) Act 2013 and Rules 2017. About 5% of these products lacked proper registration.
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Online Promotion: 100% of checked online platforms promoted alternative infant foods under the guise of medical or nutritional advice.
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Hospital Shortcomings: All surveyed baby-friendly hospitals lacked active committees or functional breastfeeding corners, with zero internal accountability measures in place.
Professor S.K. Roy, a distinguished nutritionist and event chair, emphasized that sustaining breastfeeding requires four core pillars: consistent information flow, dynamic support activities, active engagement of mothers, and inter-ministerial government coordination.
Highlighting the biological value of breast milk, BBF Secretary General Professor Saniya Tasnim noted:
“Breast milk is not just food; it is a living biological system that builds the foundation of a child’s gut and immune system. Giving colostrum within the first hour of birth reduces neonatal mortality by 31%, while regular breastfeeding cuts diarrheal death risk by 15 times, pneumonia risk by 11 times, and malnutrition death risk by 14 times.”
As Bangladesh targets a 60% exclusive breastfeeding rate by 2030, experts stress that reversing this downward trend requires strict enforcement of existing laws, regular monitoring, and revitalizing institutional healthcare support to protect the health and futures of newborns.