First batch of MPH graduates

Batch 1 graduates with MPH Program Chair, Dr. Nazmul Huda

The IUBAT Masters of Public Health Program now has over fifty students enrolled. The first batch recently graduated and the second batch has completed most graduation requirements. BHP Directors John Richards and Alex Berland teach and support program development.

The shortage of health-care providers in Bangladesh is made worse by shortages of people with post-graduate training who can educate, supervise and lead. This situation has created a favourable job market for individuals with clinical experience and specialized knowledge in areas such as adult education, NGO and hospital management, and research and evaluation. Nurses with Masters degrees are especially in demand.

The MPH that we are developing at IUBAT is rigorous, using modern educational methods, to prepare graduates who can tackle system-level problems in Bangladesh and internationally. International students are welcome to the  MPH program at IUBAT, a fully accredited English-medium university, with one of the loveliest campuses in Dhaka. We also invite public health professionals to join us as guest faculty or research collaborators by emailing BangladeshHealthProject@pm.me

News from Bluebell School

Students from the pre-primary program and Grades One to Five have now returned to school after the year-end break.

They enjoyed the annual sports competition ...

and the prize-giving ceremony ...

and textbook distribution.

Mental health -- from taboo to tool

BHP volunteers in training session with mental health nurses and nurse educators

Since 2023, we have been working with Sajida Foundation, one of the leading NGOs in Bangladesh, to develop their psychiatric services. During 2025 BHP volunteers based in Canada provided weekly training and mentoring sessions via video link.

Zahida Kabir, Executive Director, Sajida Foundation

In this interview, Sajida Foundation Executive Director, Zahida Kabir describes the philosophy behind their innovative mental health programs. "Mental health is not a luxury," she says. "Rather, it's a necessity. We're trying to shift how people think about mental health -- from taboo to tool." After many years operating community-based programs, in mid-2025, Sajida Foundation opened “The Neuroscience & Psychiatry Hub”, Bangladesh's first private long-term psychiatric facility for severe conditions such as bipolar disorder and psychosis. Before The Hub, "There was no place in Dhaka where you could admit a loved one without fear of stigma or substandard care," Kabir said to the Daily Star reporter. "So we built one. We had to navigate a vacuum: There were no licensing frameworks, no unified oversight. We engaged with ministries, councils, and local authorities -- no one had a blueprint. We took seven years to get this model right. Every centre, every therapist, every session must reflect that standard. This isn't just a care facility; it's a culture shift."