11:02 am, Friday, 10 October 2025
BREAKING NEWS
Reviving the Rural Economy: $100 Million ADB–Bangladesh Agreement The Journey Begins for Cox’s Bazar’s First Plastic Recycling Plant Why the world’s biggest food company is stepping back Nestlé has withdrawn from a high-profile international alliance to cut methane from dairy supply chains, a move that instantly sharpened debate over how fast and by what methods the sector should decarbonize; the company says it will keep pursuing on-farm emissions cuts through its own programs while reassessing the group’s approach and governance, but the exit deprives the coalition of its most recognizable member and risks slowing peer benchmarking, shared pilot data, and pooled purchasing that can bring down costs for farmers. Methane from cattle is a potent, short-lived climate pollutant, and many governments have leaned on voluntary industry compacts to accelerate adoption of feed additives, manure management, and breeding strategies; critics of Nestlé’s decision warn that a fragmentation of efforts could reduce transparency and make it harder for buyers, lenders, and regulators to compare progress across brands, whereas supporters counter that company-led projects tied to local agronomy and subsidies often deliver faster, measurable gains than broad global charters. The policy backdrop is shifting as well: several markets are moving from pure carrots to a mix of incentives and performance-based conditions on grants and export supports, and that pivot raises stakes for how milk processors document emissions baselines and third-party verification, because the credibility of Scope 3 targets rests on comparable methodologies rather than marketing claims alone. Practically, much of the abatement economics hinge on who pays for early-stage inputs like methane-reducing feed supplements and slurry lids; with farm margins tight, a coordinated model—blending buyer premiums, public cost-shares, and green-finance instruments—is usually needed to avoid penalizing smaller producers, and Nestlé’s departure complicates the coalition’s ability to aggregate demand and negotiate lower unit costs at scale. What changes on the farm, for financiers, and across supply chains For producers, the near-term signal is mixed: one major buyer is still funding on-farm pilots but no longer inside the alliance’s shared roadmap, which could slow knowledge transfer between regions that differ on climate, feed, and herd structure, even as individual Nestlé programs continue to trial seaweed-based additives, nitrification inhibitors, covered lagoons with biogas capture, and pasture rotations to improve enteric and manure outcomes; in parallel, veterinarians and breeders stress that fertility and animal health gains can cut emissions intensity without shrinking output, though activists argue absolute reductions are needed if national targets are to be met. Financiers and insurers will keep pressing for comparable disclosures because the cost of capital increasingly reflects climate-risk metrics: banks baking “sustainability-linked” terms into dairy loans need clear, auditable KPIs, and exporters eyeing tariff-free access to markets with carbon-border rules will face tougher paperwork if standards splinter, which is why industry groups are urging a minimum common MRV (measurement-reporting-verification) framework even when brand strategies differ. For consumers—and for downstream brands in chocolate, infant formula, and ice cream—the implications will show up more in labels and price architecture than in the taste of products: if buyers pay farmers for verified methane abatement while feed and equipment remain pricey, some costs may pass through, but over time biogas revenue, fertilizer substitution, and efficiency gains can offset outlays and stabilize retail pricing. The political risk is that today’s corporate exit becomes tomorrow’s cultural flashpoint, especially in countries where farmer protests have already shaped election cycles; to avoid backlash, climate policy designers are experimenting with “pay for performance” that rewards measured reductions rather than prescribing a single technology path. The bottom line is not that dairy decarbonization stalls, but that governance gets messier: Nestlé’s solo track keeps momentum on pilots yet raises coordination costs for everyone else, and the outcome to watch is whether competing alliances converge on interoperable data, verification, and crediting rules so that farmers can sell a ton of avoided methane once—and get recognized for it across buyers, banks, and border regimes. SOFTBANK BUYS ABB’S ROBOTICS UNIT FOR $5.4B, BETTING ON A NEW WAVE OF FACTORY AUTOMATION Nurul Majid Humayun’s Death and the Placement of Prisons under the International Red Cross IEA TRIMS U.S. RENEWABLES OUTLOOK AS FEDERAL POLICIES SHIFT; GLOBAL SOLAR STILL SURGES GAZA TALKS ENTER DAY THREE IN EGYPT AS MEDIATORS TEST PATH TO FULL CEASE-FIRE OCTOBER PRIME DAY 2025: THE TECH DEALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORTH YOUR MONEY PRIME DAY, AGAIN: WIRED’S BIG LIST SHOWS HOW TO SHOP SMART AND SKIP THE DUDS TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET TEASES ‘MARTY SUPREME’ AFTER NYFF PREMIERE, KEEPING PLOT UNDER WRAPS
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Safe Oxygen for All: Strong Call at Bangladesh Oxygen Summit

Sarakhon Report

To ensure that every person in Bangladesh can access oxygen safely and efficiently for medical treatment, the “Bangladesh Oxygen Summit 2025” held in Dhaka called for stronger governance and sustainable investment. The government announced that a national oxygen network will soon be established.

Urgency to Make Oxygen a Central Priority in Healthcare

The summit emphasized that ensuring safe and affordable oxygen for all requires robust governance and greater investment.
Organized by icddr,b at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka, the event brought together policymakers, scientists, doctors, government officials, and development partners.

The central theme of the conference was “A National Roadmap for Safe, Affordable, and Reliable Medical Oxygen for All.”
Its goal was to formulate a unified action plan to ensure oxygen availability even in Bangladesh’s most remote regions.

Chief Guest and Research Background

The chief guest, Professor Dr. Md. Saiyadur Rahman, a Special Assistant (ranked as a State Minister) at the Ministry of Health, attended the event.
The opening speech was delivered by Dr. Shams El Arifeen, Senior Scientist at icddr,b and one of the authors of The Lancet Global Health Commission on Medical Oxygen Security.

This Commission was established in 2022, following a research initiative led by Dr. Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman. It currently comprises 18 experts and 40 advisers from various countries and sectors, all working together to prevent oxygen shortages during global health crises, such as pandemics.

Global Picture: Death Risks from Oxygen Shortage

According to the Commission’s analysis, around 373 million people worldwide need medical oxygen each year —
• 105 million for acute illness,
• 259 million during surgical operations, and
• 9 million for long-term treatments.

However, 80% of those in need live in low- and middle-income countries.
Hypoxemia (low oxygen in the blood) increases the risk of death fivefold, yet many patients fail to receive oxygen when required.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared oxygen an essential medicine, its availability remains profoundly unequal.

Bangladesh’s Situation and Challenges

Research by icddr,b found that while Bangladesh has made progress in setting up PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption), VSA (Vacuum Swing Adsorption), and VIE (Vacuum Insulated Evaporator) oxygen plants, there are still systemic weaknesses in operation and maintenance.

A survey of 99 health facilities revealed technical faults, shortages of human resources, and managerial inefficiencies.

The study recommended:
• Investment in biomedical workforce development
• Decentralized repair and maintenance facilities
• Recognition of oxygen as a core public health service

It also called for a national roadmap to ensure a resilient and long-term oxygen supply system.

Government’s Position: Building a National Network

Professor Dr. Saiyadur Rahman said:

“There are still gaps in oxygen access, but the government is actively working to close them.
We are moving forward to establish a National Oxygen Network and officially recognize oxygen as an essential medicine.
Achieving self-sufficiency in medical oxygen is also a matter of national security.”

Need for Good Governance, Investment, and Sustainable Solutions

Dr. Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director of icddr,b, said:

“Bangladesh has made substantial progress in oxygen production, but without good governance and sustainable investment, this progress won’t last.
Governance in oxygen systems can mean the difference between life and death.
Therefore, evidence-based policy and continuous investment in research are essential.”

Dr. Abu Zafar, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), added:

“Oxygen is not just a commodity—it is a public service.”
He also highly praised icddr,b’s contribution to oxygen research.

Scientific Sessions and Innovation Showcase

The conference featured four scientific sessions on:

  1. Oxygen demand and supply
  2. Production and distribution systems
  3. Policy and investment priorities
  4. Innovations for sustainable solutions

Representatives from the DGHS, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF, UNOPS, World Bank, ADB, and the private sector took part.

In the closing segment, locally developed innovations were showcased—
Bubble CPAP, OxyJet, Nishshash ventilator, and low-cost oxygen concentrators—technologies that can save lives in resource-limited settings.

Oxygen and the SDGs: Central to Sustainable Development

Experts noted that access to oxygen plays a central role in achieving eight of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—
Including maternal mortality (3.1), newborn mortality (3.2), communicable diseases (3.3), mental health (3.4), road accidents (3.6), and universal health coverage (3.8).

Supported by The Lancet Global Health, Every Breath Counts, and UNITAID, the summit concluded with a joint declaration:

“Medical oxygen is not just a medicine—it is a human right.”

Participants agreed that equitable access to oxygen is essential not only for the stability of health systems but also for Bangladesh’s preparedness against future crises.

#BangladeshOxygenSummit #ICDDRB #MedicalOxygen #HealthPolicy #SarakhonReport

More News:
Reviving the Rural Economy: $100 Million ADB–Bangladesh Agreement
The Journey Begins for Cox’s Bazar’s First Plastic Recycling Plant
Why the world’s biggest food company is stepping back Nestlé has withdrawn from a high-profile international alliance to cut methane from dairy supply chains, a move that instantly sharpened debate over how fast and by what methods the sector should decarbonize; the company says it will keep pursuing on-farm emissions cuts through its own programs while reassessing the group’s approach and governance, but the exit deprives the coalition of its most recognizable member and risks slowing peer benchmarking, shared pilot data, and pooled purchasing that can bring down costs for farmers. Methane from cattle is a potent, short-lived climate pollutant, and many governments have leaned on voluntary industry compacts to accelerate adoption of feed additives, manure management, and breeding strategies; critics of Nestlé’s decision warn that a fragmentation of efforts could reduce transparency and make it harder for buyers, lenders, and regulators to compare progress across brands, whereas supporters counter that company-led projects tied to local agronomy and subsidies often deliver faster, measurable gains than broad global charters. The policy backdrop is shifting as well: several markets are moving from pure carrots to a mix of incentives and performance-based conditions on grants and export supports, and that pivot raises stakes for how milk processors document emissions baselines and third-party verification, because the credibility of Scope 3 targets rests on comparable methodologies rather than marketing claims alone. Practically, much of the abatement economics hinge on who pays for early-stage inputs like methane-reducing feed supplements and slurry lids; with farm margins tight, a coordinated model—blending buyer premiums, public cost-shares, and green-finance instruments—is usually needed to avoid penalizing smaller producers, and Nestlé’s departure complicates the coalition’s ability to aggregate demand and negotiate lower unit costs at scale. What changes on the farm, for financiers, and across supply chains For producers, the near-term signal is mixed: one major buyer is still funding on-farm pilots but no longer inside the alliance’s shared roadmap, which could slow knowledge transfer between regions that differ on climate, feed, and herd structure, even as individual Nestlé programs continue to trial seaweed-based additives, nitrification inhibitors, covered lagoons with biogas capture, and pasture rotations to improve enteric and manure outcomes; in parallel, veterinarians and breeders stress that fertility and animal health gains can cut emissions intensity without shrinking output, though activists argue absolute reductions are needed if national targets are to be met. Financiers and insurers will keep pressing for comparable disclosures because the cost of capital increasingly reflects climate-risk metrics: banks baking “sustainability-linked” terms into dairy loans need clear, auditable KPIs, and exporters eyeing tariff-free access to markets with carbon-border rules will face tougher paperwork if standards splinter, which is why industry groups are urging a minimum common MRV (measurement-reporting-verification) framework even when brand strategies differ. For consumers—and for downstream brands in chocolate, infant formula, and ice cream—the implications will show up more in labels and price architecture than in the taste of products: if buyers pay farmers for verified methane abatement while feed and equipment remain pricey, some costs may pass through, but over time biogas revenue, fertilizer substitution, and efficiency gains can offset outlays and stabilize retail pricing. The political risk is that today’s corporate exit becomes tomorrow’s cultural flashpoint, especially in countries where farmer protests have already shaped election cycles; to avoid backlash, climate policy designers are experimenting with “pay for performance” that rewards measured reductions rather than prescribing a single technology path. The bottom line is not that dairy decarbonization stalls, but that governance gets messier: Nestlé’s solo track keeps momentum on pilots yet raises coordination costs for everyone else, and the outcome to watch is whether competing alliances converge on interoperable data, verification, and crediting rules so that farmers can sell a ton of avoided methane once—and get recognized for it across buyers, banks, and border regimes.
SOFTBANK BUYS ABB’S ROBOTICS UNIT FOR $5.4B, BETTING ON A NEW WAVE OF FACTORY AUTOMATION
Nurul Majid Humayun’s Death and the Placement of Prisons under the International Red Cross
IEA TRIMS U.S. RENEWABLES OUTLOOK AS FEDERAL POLICIES SHIFT; GLOBAL SOLAR STILL SURGES
07:17:29 pm, Tuesday, 7 October 2025

Reviving the Rural Economy: $100 Million ADB–Bangladesh Agreement

The Journey Begins for Cox’s Bazar’s First Plastic Recycling Plant

Why the world’s biggest food company is stepping back Nestlé has withdrawn from a high-profile international alliance to cut methane from dairy supply chains, a move that instantly sharpened debate over how fast and by what methods the sector should decarbonize; the company says it will keep pursuing on-farm emissions cuts through its own programs while reassessing the group’s approach and governance, but the exit deprives the coalition of its most recognizable member and risks slowing peer benchmarking, shared pilot data, and pooled purchasing that can bring down costs for farmers. Methane from cattle is a potent, short-lived climate pollutant, and many governments have leaned on voluntary industry compacts to accelerate adoption of feed additives, manure management, and breeding strategies; critics of Nestlé’s decision warn that a fragmentation of efforts could reduce transparency and make it harder for buyers, lenders, and regulators to compare progress across brands, whereas supporters counter that company-led projects tied to local agronomy and subsidies often deliver faster, measurable gains than broad global charters. The policy backdrop is shifting as well: several markets are moving from pure carrots to a mix of incentives and performance-based conditions on grants and export supports, and that pivot raises stakes for how milk processors document emissions baselines and third-party verification, because the credibility of Scope 3 targets rests on comparable methodologies rather than marketing claims alone. Practically, much of the abatement economics hinge on who pays for early-stage inputs like methane-reducing feed supplements and slurry lids; with farm margins tight, a coordinated model—blending buyer premiums, public cost-shares, and green-finance instruments—is usually needed to avoid penalizing smaller producers, and Nestlé’s departure complicates the coalition’s ability to aggregate demand and negotiate lower unit costs at scale. What changes on the farm, for financiers, and across supply chains For producers, the near-term signal is mixed: one major buyer is still funding on-farm pilots but no longer inside the alliance’s shared roadmap, which could slow knowledge transfer between regions that differ on climate, feed, and herd structure, even as individual Nestlé programs continue to trial seaweed-based additives, nitrification inhibitors, covered lagoons with biogas capture, and pasture rotations to improve enteric and manure outcomes; in parallel, veterinarians and breeders stress that fertility and animal health gains can cut emissions intensity without shrinking output, though activists argue absolute reductions are needed if national targets are to be met. Financiers and insurers will keep pressing for comparable disclosures because the cost of capital increasingly reflects climate-risk metrics: banks baking “sustainability-linked” terms into dairy loans need clear, auditable KPIs, and exporters eyeing tariff-free access to markets with carbon-border rules will face tougher paperwork if standards splinter, which is why industry groups are urging a minimum common MRV (measurement-reporting-verification) framework even when brand strategies differ. For consumers—and for downstream brands in chocolate, infant formula, and ice cream—the implications will show up more in labels and price architecture than in the taste of products: if buyers pay farmers for verified methane abatement while feed and equipment remain pricey, some costs may pass through, but over time biogas revenue, fertilizer substitution, and efficiency gains can offset outlays and stabilize retail pricing. The political risk is that today’s corporate exit becomes tomorrow’s cultural flashpoint, especially in countries where farmer protests have already shaped election cycles; to avoid backlash, climate policy designers are experimenting with “pay for performance” that rewards measured reductions rather than prescribing a single technology path. The bottom line is not that dairy decarbonization stalls, but that governance gets messier: Nestlé’s solo track keeps momentum on pilots yet raises coordination costs for everyone else, and the outcome to watch is whether competing alliances converge on interoperable data, verification, and crediting rules so that farmers can sell a ton of avoided methane once—and get recognized for it across buyers, banks, and border regimes.

SOFTBANK BUYS ABB’S ROBOTICS UNIT FOR $5.4B, BETTING ON A NEW WAVE OF FACTORY AUTOMATION

Nurul Majid Humayun’s Death and the Placement of Prisons under the International Red Cross

IEA TRIMS U.S. RENEWABLES OUTLOOK AS FEDERAL POLICIES SHIFT; GLOBAL SOLAR STILL SURGES

GAZA TALKS ENTER DAY THREE IN EGYPT AS MEDIATORS TEST PATH TO FULL CEASE-FIRE

OCTOBER PRIME DAY 2025: THE TECH DEALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORTH YOUR MONEY

PRIME DAY, AGAIN: WIRED’S BIG LIST SHOWS HOW TO SHOP SMART AND SKIP THE DUDS

TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET TEASES ‘MARTY SUPREME’ AFTER NYFF PREMIERE, KEEPING PLOT UNDER WRAPS

News Title :
Reviving the Rural Economy: $100 Million ADB–Bangladesh Agreement The Journey Begins for Cox’s Bazar’s First Plastic Recycling Plant Why the world’s biggest food company is stepping back Nestlé has withdrawn from a high-profile international alliance to cut methane from dairy supply chains, a move that instantly sharpened debate over how fast and by what methods the sector should decarbonize; the company says it will keep pursuing on-farm emissions cuts through its own programs while reassessing the group’s approach and governance, but the exit deprives the coalition of its most recognizable member and risks slowing peer benchmarking, shared pilot data, and pooled purchasing that can bring down costs for farmers. Methane from cattle is a potent, short-lived climate pollutant, and many governments have leaned on voluntary industry compacts to accelerate adoption of feed additives, manure management, and breeding strategies; critics of Nestlé’s decision warn that a fragmentation of efforts could reduce transparency and make it harder for buyers, lenders, and regulators to compare progress across brands, whereas supporters counter that company-led projects tied to local agronomy and subsidies often deliver faster, measurable gains than broad global charters. The policy backdrop is shifting as well: several markets are moving from pure carrots to a mix of incentives and performance-based conditions on grants and export supports, and that pivot raises stakes for how milk processors document emissions baselines and third-party verification, because the credibility of Scope 3 targets rests on comparable methodologies rather than marketing claims alone. Practically, much of the abatement economics hinge on who pays for early-stage inputs like methane-reducing feed supplements and slurry lids; with farm margins tight, a coordinated model—blending buyer premiums, public cost-shares, and green-finance instruments—is usually needed to avoid penalizing smaller producers, and Nestlé’s departure complicates the coalition’s ability to aggregate demand and negotiate lower unit costs at scale. What changes on the farm, for financiers, and across supply chains For producers, the near-term signal is mixed: one major buyer is still funding on-farm pilots but no longer inside the alliance’s shared roadmap, which could slow knowledge transfer between regions that differ on climate, feed, and herd structure, even as individual Nestlé programs continue to trial seaweed-based additives, nitrification inhibitors, covered lagoons with biogas capture, and pasture rotations to improve enteric and manure outcomes; in parallel, veterinarians and breeders stress that fertility and animal health gains can cut emissions intensity without shrinking output, though activists argue absolute reductions are needed if national targets are to be met. Financiers and insurers will keep pressing for comparable disclosures because the cost of capital increasingly reflects climate-risk metrics: banks baking “sustainability-linked” terms into dairy loans need clear, auditable KPIs, and exporters eyeing tariff-free access to markets with carbon-border rules will face tougher paperwork if standards splinter, which is why industry groups are urging a minimum common MRV (measurement-reporting-verification) framework even when brand strategies differ. For consumers—and for downstream brands in chocolate, infant formula, and ice cream—the implications will show up more in labels and price architecture than in the taste of products: if buyers pay farmers for verified methane abatement while feed and equipment remain pricey, some costs may pass through, but over time biogas revenue, fertilizer substitution, and efficiency gains can offset outlays and stabilize retail pricing. The political risk is that today’s corporate exit becomes tomorrow’s cultural flashpoint, especially in countries where farmer protests have already shaped election cycles; to avoid backlash, climate policy designers are experimenting with “pay for performance” that rewards measured reductions rather than prescribing a single technology path. The bottom line is not that dairy decarbonization stalls, but that governance gets messier: Nestlé’s solo track keeps momentum on pilots yet raises coordination costs for everyone else, and the outcome to watch is whether competing alliances converge on interoperable data, verification, and crediting rules so that farmers can sell a ton of avoided methane once—and get recognized for it across buyers, banks, and border regimes. SOFTBANK BUYS ABB’S ROBOTICS UNIT FOR $5.4B, BETTING ON A NEW WAVE OF FACTORY AUTOMATION Nurul Majid Humayun’s Death and the Placement of Prisons under the International Red Cross IEA TRIMS U.S. RENEWABLES OUTLOOK AS FEDERAL POLICIES SHIFT; GLOBAL SOLAR STILL SURGES GAZA TALKS ENTER DAY THREE IN EGYPT AS MEDIATORS TEST PATH TO FULL CEASE-FIRE OCTOBER PRIME DAY 2025: THE TECH DEALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORTH YOUR MONEY PRIME DAY, AGAIN: WIRED’S BIG LIST SHOWS HOW TO SHOP SMART AND SKIP THE DUDS TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET TEASES ‘MARTY SUPREME’ AFTER NYFF PREMIERE, KEEPING PLOT UNDER WRAPS

Safe Oxygen for All: Strong Call at Bangladesh Oxygen Summit

07:17:29 pm, Tuesday, 7 October 2025

To ensure that every person in Bangladesh can access oxygen safely and efficiently for medical treatment, the “Bangladesh Oxygen Summit 2025” held in Dhaka called for stronger governance and sustainable investment. The government announced that a national oxygen network will soon be established.

Urgency to Make Oxygen a Central Priority in Healthcare

The summit emphasized that ensuring safe and affordable oxygen for all requires robust governance and greater investment.
Organized by icddr,b at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka, the event brought together policymakers, scientists, doctors, government officials, and development partners.

The central theme of the conference was “A National Roadmap for Safe, Affordable, and Reliable Medical Oxygen for All.”
Its goal was to formulate a unified action plan to ensure oxygen availability even in Bangladesh’s most remote regions.

Chief Guest and Research Background

The chief guest, Professor Dr. Md. Saiyadur Rahman, a Special Assistant (ranked as a State Minister) at the Ministry of Health, attended the event.
The opening speech was delivered by Dr. Shams El Arifeen, Senior Scientist at icddr,b and one of the authors of The Lancet Global Health Commission on Medical Oxygen Security.

This Commission was established in 2022, following a research initiative led by Dr. Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman. It currently comprises 18 experts and 40 advisers from various countries and sectors, all working together to prevent oxygen shortages during global health crises, such as pandemics.

Global Picture: Death Risks from Oxygen Shortage

According to the Commission’s analysis, around 373 million people worldwide need medical oxygen each year —
• 105 million for acute illness,
• 259 million during surgical operations, and
• 9 million for long-term treatments.

However, 80% of those in need live in low- and middle-income countries.
Hypoxemia (low oxygen in the blood) increases the risk of death fivefold, yet many patients fail to receive oxygen when required.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared oxygen an essential medicine, its availability remains profoundly unequal.

Bangladesh’s Situation and Challenges

Research by icddr,b found that while Bangladesh has made progress in setting up PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption), VSA (Vacuum Swing Adsorption), and VIE (Vacuum Insulated Evaporator) oxygen plants, there are still systemic weaknesses in operation and maintenance.

A survey of 99 health facilities revealed technical faults, shortages of human resources, and managerial inefficiencies.

The study recommended:
• Investment in biomedical workforce development
• Decentralized repair and maintenance facilities
• Recognition of oxygen as a core public health service

It also called for a national roadmap to ensure a resilient and long-term oxygen supply system.

Government’s Position: Building a National Network

Professor Dr. Saiyadur Rahman said:

“There are still gaps in oxygen access, but the government is actively working to close them.
We are moving forward to establish a National Oxygen Network and officially recognize oxygen as an essential medicine.
Achieving self-sufficiency in medical oxygen is also a matter of national security.”

Need for Good Governance, Investment, and Sustainable Solutions

Dr. Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director of icddr,b, said:

“Bangladesh has made substantial progress in oxygen production, but without good governance and sustainable investment, this progress won’t last.
Governance in oxygen systems can mean the difference between life and death.
Therefore, evidence-based policy and continuous investment in research are essential.”

Dr. Abu Zafar, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), added:

“Oxygen is not just a commodity—it is a public service.”
He also highly praised icddr,b’s contribution to oxygen research.

Scientific Sessions and Innovation Showcase

The conference featured four scientific sessions on:

  1. Oxygen demand and supply
  2. Production and distribution systems
  3. Policy and investment priorities
  4. Innovations for sustainable solutions

Representatives from the DGHS, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF, UNOPS, World Bank, ADB, and the private sector took part.

In the closing segment, locally developed innovations were showcased—
Bubble CPAP, OxyJet, Nishshash ventilator, and low-cost oxygen concentrators—technologies that can save lives in resource-limited settings.

Oxygen and the SDGs: Central to Sustainable Development

Experts noted that access to oxygen plays a central role in achieving eight of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—
Including maternal mortality (3.1), newborn mortality (3.2), communicable diseases (3.3), mental health (3.4), road accidents (3.6), and universal health coverage (3.8).

Supported by The Lancet Global Health, Every Breath Counts, and UNITAID, the summit concluded with a joint declaration:

“Medical oxygen is not just a medicine—it is a human right.”

Participants agreed that equitable access to oxygen is essential not only for the stability of health systems but also for Bangladesh’s preparedness against future crises.

#BangladeshOxygenSummit #ICDDRB #MedicalOxygen #HealthPolicy #SarakhonReport

Editorial : Swadesh Roy

Editorial Office

First Floor, Capita Lake Front. Block J, House# 66, Banani Rd 18 Extension, Dhaka 1213