Bangladesh Struggles with Rising HIV Cases

Bangladeshi medical tourists have dominated India’s medical tourism sector for years, making up nearly 70% of foreign patients. Between 2017 and 2022, their numbers grew by 48%, reaching 70.8% of total medical tourists in 2023. However, the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024, led to diplomatic tensions, visa restrictions, and a sharp decline in Bangladeshi patients traveling to India.

Due to US President Donald Trump’s decision to halt foreign aid, over 1,000 staff members at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (icddr,b) in Bangladesh have lost their jobs. The affected employees were primarily working on USAID-funded projects and were employed on a contractual basis.

On November 24, 2024, Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) signed an agreement with IHH Healthcare Singapore to provide exclusive healthcare privileges to its priority customers and top-tier cardholders. The agreement will offer these customers special benefits across all IHH Healthcare Singapore hospitals, including Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, and Parkway East Hospital.

Dhaka Bank PLC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on November 22 to streamline the collection of holding tax and trade licence fees. Under the agreement, the bank will integrate with DSCC servers via API connectivity, enabling residents to pay taxes and fees at designated branches, sub-branches, and five newly established collection booths at Nagar Bhaban and zonal offices during the first phase.

Moody's downgraded Bangladesh's sovereign rating from B1 to B2, shifting its outlook to negative, citing heightened political risks and potential economic slowdown. However, Bangladesh Bank (BB) criticized the downgrade, labeling it as retrospective and not reflective of current progress.

Following the fall of the previous government, over 343 influential individuals and organizations have had their bank accounts frozen, totaling Tk 14,500 crore, due to allegations of suspicious transactions and money laundering. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), in collaboration with the NBR and ACC, has already submitted 225 investigation reports, with 20 audits completed.