World Hepatitis Day is today. The day is celebrated every year on July 28 through various programs. The main objective of the day is to increase awareness about viral hepatitis, timely diagnosis of the disease, ensure treatment and strengthen preventive measures. Siddiq Hossain (42), a resident of Savar, was quite happy with his two children and wife. He was working in a private organization and his family was going on. But when he suddenly developed physical complications, he went to the doctor. After various tests, the doctors said that he was infected with the hepatitis ‘B’ virus. Despite receiving treatment from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, his condition deteriorated day by day.
He said, “A year ago, I didn’t know I was suffering from this terrible disease. There were no symptoms in my body. I only had occasional stomach pain and nausea. However, my body was very weak and tired. In the meantime, I have developed various complications including liver cirrhosis. I have been undergoing treatment for the past six months. All the money I had saved for treatment has been gone, I have also sold the land in my village house along with loans from relatives. Now I can’t even afford to buy medicines regularly.”
It lodges in the body without symptoms, most patients are unaware
Published: 28 July 2026, 11:03Update: 28 July 2026, 11:14
World Hepatitis Day is today. The day is celebrated every year on July 28 through various programs. The main objective of the day is to increase awareness about viral hepatitis, timely diagnosis of the disease, ensure treatment and strengthen preventive measures. Siddiq Hossain (42), a resident of Savar, was quite happy with his two children and wife. He was working in a private organization and his family was going on. But when he suddenly developed physical complications, he went to the doctor. After various tests, the doctors said that he was infected with the hepatitis ‘B’ virus. Despite receiving treatment from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, his condition deteriorated day by day.
He said, “A year ago, I didn’t know I was suffering from this terrible disease. There were no symptoms in my body. I only had occasional stomach pain and nausea. However, my body was very weak and tired. In the meantime, I have developed various complications including liver cirrhosis. I have been undergoing treatment for the past six months. All the money I had saved for treatment has been gone, I have also sold the land in my village house along with loans from relatives. Now I can’t even afford to buy medicines regularly.”Advertisement
Not only Siddiq, but most people in the country like him do not know what hepatitis is, how it is contracted or what the treatment is. Since the symptoms of this disease are very mild, it is not easily detected even if infected. As a result, it remains silent in the body for a long time, especially in rural areas due to lack of awareness and not getting tested on time, many people are reaching critical conditions before the disease is detected. As a result, expert doctors express concern that hepatitis ‘B’ and ‘C’ viruses are becoming a silent killer in the country.
Doctors said that most people in the country know hepatitis as ‘jaundice disease’. But in medical terms, hepatitis is a viral liver inflammation. There are five types of hepatitis – A, B, C, D and E. Of these, hepatitis ‘A’ and ‘E’ are food and water-borne, which cause mild jaundice. However, it is usually cured by the body’s immune system within four to eight weeks. However, in some cases, immediate liver failure can occur. However, hepatitis B and C cause serious damage to the liver in the long term and are considered the main causes of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
According to the National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh, currently 5.7 percent of the adult population in the country, that is, more than 10 million people, are infected with long-term hepatitis B and C viruses. And every year, about 23,000 people die due to complications caused by hepatitis B and C viruses. Of these, the infection rate among children under the age of five is about 1 percent, which is about 1.66 million. Again, about 1.8 million women of childbearing age in the country are infected with hepatitis B. In addition, 9 out of every 10 people in the country do not know that they are infected with this disease. As a result, they remain outside of treatment and unknowingly face complex health risks.
According to the World Health Organization’s ‘Global Hepatitis Report 2026’, in 2024, about 287 million people in the world were infected with long-term hepatitis B or C. Of these, 1.34 million people died. It has been seen that on average, more than 1 million people die every year and less than 5 percent of people receive treatment. B and C viruses are responsible for 80 percent of liver cancer cases. In addition, Bangladesh is ranked seventh among the 10 high-risk countries. In terms of deaths caused by hepatitis B and C, China is among the top 10 countries—first and India second. And to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, it has been said that the prevention of hepatitis B, C viruses and elimination of liver cancer from all over the world have been called for.
Stating that Bangladesh is at high risk of contracting hepatitis, Dr. Mohammad Saidul Haque, a physician at the liver department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told Amar Desh, “Hepatitis is not a contagious disease, but the number of infected people is increasing due to lack of awareness. Many people do not realize for a long time that they are infected with hepatitis B or C, because the disease is usually asymptomatic in the early stages. Most patients learn about the infection during tests for other diseases, pregnancy health checks, or job medical checkups. Again, many patients come to the hospital with symptoms such as watery stomach, bloody vomit, or black stools after the liver becomes complicated.”
He said that hepatitis can be prevented through safe blood transfusions, vaccination and awareness raising. Currently, hepatitis C can be completely cured and hepatitis B can be controlled in the long term. However, he expressed some skepticism about eliminating hepatitis by 2030.
Professor Dr. Shahinul Alam, chairman of the Hepatology Department of Bangladesh Medical University, said that Hepatitis B and C are mainly blood-borne viruses. The infection spreads through unsafe blood transfusions, used needles and syringes, contaminated blades or unsterilized medical equipment.
He said, due to ignorance and superstition, many people do not seek treatment on time, resulting in complications. Primary tests for hepatitis can be done at district and upazila level hospitals, while advanced tests and treatment are easily available at specialized or city hospitals. Moreover, the cost of tests and medicines in Bangladesh is comparatively low compared to many other countries. Therefore, he emphasized on increasing awareness.
