Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain addressed the discussion meeting organized at the Press Club today to mark the 45th martyrdom anniversary of martyred President Ziaur Rahman. Photo: PID

DHAKA, June 10, 2026 (BSS) - Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain today said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had taken the first historic step in bringing healthcare services to the doorsteps of rural people.

Ziaur Rahman laid the foundation for the modernization of the rural healthcare system by constructing 31-bed hospitals at all thana headquarters across the country.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a discussion titled "Contribution of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman to the Modernization of Bangladesh's Healthcare System and the Current Context" as the chief guest at the National Press Club this afternoon, organized by Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB).

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr M A Muhit also spoke.

Highlighting various initiatives taken by Ziaur Rahman for the development of the health sector, he said Shaheed Zia was the first statesman to ensure healthcare services for ordinary rural people and was the true pioneer of the country's health sector.

The minister said former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia later upgraded the 31-bed hospitals to 50-bed facilities following the path shown by Shaheed Zia.

Mentioning that the Health Ministry has undertaken initiatives to further strengthen rural healthcare services by embracing Shaheed Zia's development philosophy, he said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has decided to upgrade all existing 31-bed and 50-bed hospitals to 100-bed hospitals as a continuation of the healthcare system initiated by Shaheed Ziaur Rahman. "We have already started working to implement this goal," he added.

Referring to other timeless initiatives of Shaheed Zia, the health minister said the present government has relaunched the canal excavation programme, which Shaheed Zia had initiated to make the country self-sufficient in food production, aiming to increase water retention capacity.

He said Ziaur Rahman had established the Shishu Academy for the development of children and his honesty was beyond question.

With DAB Acting President Professor Dr. Abul Kenan in the chair, the discussion was also addressed, among others, by, former DAB Secretary General and Member of Parliament (MP) Dr. Abdus Salam, and the organisation's Secretary General Dr. Zahirul Islam Shakil.