Highlights:
- State minister calls for locally trained mental health workers
- Short technical courses proposed for remote-area care
- Multiple ministries urged to coordinate mental health services
- Dignity and rights highlighted as rehabilitation priorities
The government plans to expand community-based mental health services to 500 upazilas across Bangladesh, starting with a pilot programme in 20 upazilas, State Minister for Health MA Muhit said today (13 October).
Speaking at a seminar at the Bangla Academy marking World Mental Health Day, he said the initiative aimed to make mental health care more accessible in remote areas rather than concentrating services in major cities and specialised institutions.
The seminar, titled "Social Mental Health: A Stepping Stone to Inclusive Social Welfare", was jointly organised by Aachol Foundation, Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC), LEEDO and other social development organisations.
Muhit said mental health had become a major public health concern worldwide, with war and conflict, changing lifestyles, loneliness and excessive use of digital technology affecting people's psychological well-being.
Despite appearing more connected through technology, people were increasingly becoming isolated, he said, adding that adolescents and young people were particularly vulnerable.
Govt plans local mental health workforce
Muhit said the initiative aimed to make mental health services available at district and upazila levels by linking local facilities with the National Institute of Mental Health in Dhaka and Pabna Mental Hospital.
Emphasising the need for skilled workers at upazila and union levels, he called on universities and academic institutions to help develop a workforce suited to local needs.
He proposed two- or three-year vocational diploma and technical courses to train people to provide counselling and support in remote areas.
"Everyone cannot be given only Dhaka-centric master's or PhD degrees and then expected to work in remote areas," he said.
Muhit said short-term technical courses could help prepare mental health workers to provide services at upazila and union levels. He suggested introducing the courses under the National Skills Development Authority, following the model of vocational training in other fields.
"We build buildings and buy expensive equipment, but if there are no skilled people to provide services there, we must move away from this flawed practice," he added.
Coordinated action to protect rights
The state minister stressed that improving mental health care required coordination among several ministries, rather than relying solely on the Health Ministry.
He called for the involvement of the ministries of social welfare, women and children affairs, and law.
He also urged relevant authorities and organisations to protect the human rights of people with mental health conditions, support their long-term rehabilitation and tackle social stigma through policy advocacy and community engagement.
Speaking about human dignity, Muhit said violations of people's dignity and rights had contributed to mass resistance, including the July Uprising in 2024.
He warned that failure to uphold human dignity could trigger further uncontrolled social upheaval, which the country did not want to see repeated.