Antibiotic Overuse Puts Bangladesh at Risk of Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis: Experts

Unregulated overuse of antibiotics in hospitals, retail pharmacies, and the livestock sector is accelerating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across Bangladesh, threatening to render common life-saving medications ineffective unless immediate regulatory action is taken, health experts warned on Sunday.

The observations were made during a session titled "Towards a Healthy Bangladesh 2041" at the Bengal Delta Conference 2026, held at the Hotel InterContinental Dhaka.

Systemic Misuse and Sectoral Drivers

Highlighting the risk of hospital-acquired resistance and community-level over-prescription, Dr. Syed Masud Ahmed, Professor and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Health Systems and Universal Health Coverage, urged health facilities to strictly enforce standard antibiotic stewardship guidelines. He also called for an immediate ban on over-the-counter antibiotic sales without valid prescriptions.

Speakers also pointed out that the crisis extends beyond human healthcare into animal agriculture. Panelist Mahmud noted that antibiotics are widely administered in poultry farms and livestock feed as growth promoters rather than for treating diagnosed infections.

Evidence of Mounting Resistance

Dr. Quazi Ahmed Zaki, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), reported that five years of continuous national surveillance data confirm that common bacterial strains are rapidly developing resistance to drugs that previously treated routine infections effectively.

Acknowledging policy delays, Dr. Shamaruh Mirza, Senior Scientist at the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC), stated that while health authorities have long been aware of the escalation of antimicrobial resistance, implementation of mitigation strategies has lagged behind the rate of infection.

Industry Recommendations and Enforcement Concerns

Addressing the regulatory debate from a market perspective, Syed S Kaiser Kabir, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Renata PLC, cautioned against imposing blanket restrictions that lack practical enforcement mechanisms, warning that severe bans could drive antibiotic distribution into unregulated illegal markets. He advocated for massive public awareness drives to reduce consumer demand as a more effective immediate strategy.