Opposition only talks about reforms that secure power share: State minister in parliament

The opposition only talks about reforms that will secure their share of power, Health State Minister Dr M A Muhith has said. He added that the opposition has no interest in important reforms in the health sector.

He made the remarks during the general discussion on the proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year in parliament on Sunday, June 28.

The state minister said the opposition occasionally speaks about reforms and the July Charter but has never discussed reforms in the health sector. A health reform commission has submitted recommendations after careful consideration. "If the opposition had discussed that report in parliament, I would have been happy," he said.

Highlighting the main challenges in the health sector, Muhith said approximately 71 per cent of deaths in the country are currently caused by non-communicable diseases. Additionally, the risk of future pandemics and epidemics remains a major challenge.

He noted that around 80 per cent of total health expenditure in Bangladesh is borne out of patients' own pockets, compared to only 10 per cent in Thailand and approximately 18 per cent in the Maldives.

The state minister said the main goal of this year's budget is to rebuild the broken healthcare system. The government aims to establish an integrated healthcare system where everyone, regardless of wealth, will have access to affordable and free medical care.

He added that while the health sector budget has nearly doubled, this budget does not include plans for unplanned construction of new hospitals or buildings. Instead, emphasis has been placed on improving the quality of existing healthcare services and effective management.