Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) authorities plan to intensify their liver transplantation programme, targeting to execute four procedures a month, doubling the current rate by the end of next year.
"We currently perform two transplants every month as the transplantation became a regular procedure," the concerned department's Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Saief Uddin told BSS.
He said the facility, situated in the Shahbagh area of the capital, planned to increase the number to four a month, or one every week by the end of next year.
A multidisciplinary team involving 19 departments conducts the procedures under the leadership of BMU's Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Liver Transplantation Surgery Department.
Department Chairman Professor Bidhan C Das said end-stage liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer and acute liver failure are the three major conditions which could require transplants while successful transplantation can restore patients' normal life.
Bangladesh's transplant journey
Bangladesh so far carried out 13 transplantation procedures since 2010 while eight of those at BMU, three at BIRDEM and two at Labaid Hospital.
BIRDEM performed the country's first liver transplants on 3 June 2010, followed by procedures on 6 August 2011 and 13 February 2020.
Besides, a BMU team performed the two transplants at Labaid Hospital in January and May 2011.
BMU began its own transplantation programme at its own facility in 2019 and since then conducted eight procedures, including six under its latest regular programme in 2025 and 2026.
The last six procedures were conducted free of cost with government funding, with technical support from a specialist transplant team of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Hospital in Hyderabad, India.
BMU is scheduled to carry out two more transplants on 30-31 October.
Sister donates liver to sister, daughter to father
A 12th grade student Ismat Ity of Sharankhola in Bagerhat was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in February this year, while she received a free liver transplant at the BMU Super Specialized Hospital on 4 July.
Her elder sister Ayesha Siddiqua donated a portion of her liver.
Talking to BSS, Ayesha, a graduate, said they both were well now.
The sisters remained under BMU's close follow-up treatment for three months and then returned home on yesterday (October 19).
In another case, 23-year-old Sumaiya Kabir of Bandar in Narayanganj donated part of her liver to her father Haji Kabir Hossain (62) as he was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in January 2025.
The procedure was performed at BMU's Super Specialized Hospital on 3 July this year as well.
Sumaiya said by now she recovered while her father was gradually recovering. However, both of them are still under follow-up treatment.
Encouraging outcomes
Of the last six recipients in BMU's transplantation service, five survived while one died from an infection. All of the previous four patients survived following the successful procedures.
Dr Saief said worldwide liver transplantation success rate is around 90 to 95 percent in world-class specialized centers, while BMU's success rate stood at 90 percent, which encouraged them to expand the programme.
He, however, said recipients need lifelong follow-up and special medications, vital for preventing the body from rejecting a transplanted organ.
The doctor said the monthly medicine cost may initially be around Taka 10,000-15,000 and could fall to Taka 4,000-5,000 with passage of critical period.
Domestic treatment can save millions
Citing World Health Organisation (WHO) data, hepatologists say around 50 million Bangladeshis suffer from liver diseases which cost about 22,000-25,000 lives per year with cirrhosis and liver cancer being major causes.
According to experts, Bangladesh needs more than 1,000 liver transplants a year.
They said a liver transplant in neighbouring countries might cost around Tk40-50 lakh under a package but the amount could be as high as Tk1 crore if complications require prolonged ICU care.
In Thailand and Singapore, the cost may reach Tk1-2 crore and much higher in western countries and so liver transplant in BMU could save millions of dollars.
Prof Bidhan said BMU's initial programme received Tk5 crore in government funding for 10 procedures, or about Tk50 lakh per transplant, as infrastructure and institutional capacity were being established.
As the programme becomes regular, the actual cost is expected to decline.
They said a transplant at BMU could eventually cost Tk10-15 lakh with government subsidies while procedures at the university's Super Specialized Hospital could cost around Tk20-25 lakh in corporate rate.
Focus on donor safety
BMU currently performs living-donor liver transplantation, while deceased-donor transplant or cadaveric transplant is yet to start in Bangladesh though it is approved by the current legal framework.
Close relatives can donate part of their liver to eligible recipients under the existing legal framework, while a recent legal amendment created an avenue for "emotional donors", subject to approval by the relevant authorities.
Dr Saief said donor-recipient relationships are carefully examined to rule out financial transactions or commercial motives.
"Before selecting a donor, we carry out extensive medical examinations. We have to ensure the safety of a healthy person from whom we are taking a part of the liver," he said.
Donors are generally selected from the 18-55 age group, although younger donors aged between 18-50 are preferred where possible. People with serious uncontrolled conditions, including diabetes, hypertension or significant heart disease, may be excluded.
BMU has so far recorded no donor mortality in its programme.
A liver transplant generally takes six to eight hours. Donors may require one to three days in ICU and can usually leave hospital within about a week, depending on their condition.
Recipients generally remain in ICU for around seven days and may require two to three weeks of hospitalization.
In living-donor transplantation, about 60% of the donor's liver could be removed, leaving roughly 35-40%, which can regenerate over time.