The First Defence for Every Child: Is Bangladesh Doing Enough to Raise Awareness about Breastfeeding?
Every year, World Breastfeeding Week reminds the world of a simple truth. A mother’s breast milk is often called a baby’s “first vaccine” because it provides the earliest protection against infection and supports healthy growth. But an important question remains. Is Bangladesh doing enough to ensure every mother receives the support and information needed to breastfeed successfully?
That question was at the centre of World Breastfeeding Week 2026, inaugurated on 1 August at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. This year’s campaign, themed “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” brought together policymakers, health professionals and nutrition experts to renew the country’s commitment to improving breastfeeding practices.
Speaking at the event, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain stressed the importance of breastfeeding, saying, “There is no alternative to breast milk for ensuring the good health of children.” He also urged mothers to provide newborns with colostrum immediately after birth, describing it as the baby’s most valuable source of early protection.
The minister’s message comes at a critical time. Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in reducing child mortality over the past two decades, yet breastfeeding indicators suggest there is still room for improvement. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, breastfeeding within the first hour of birth significantly improves newborn survival, while exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months helps protect children from diarrhoea, pneumonia and malnutrition. Despite these proven benefits, many Bangladeshi infants still do not receive optimal breastfeeding during their first six months.
The challenge is not simply about mothers’ willingness to breastfeed. Many face barriers that extend far beyond the home. Short maternity leave, limited breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, increasing Caesarean deliveries, aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes and persistent social misconceptions continue to influence infant feeding decisions. Families and communities also play a major role, particularly where traditional advice may conflict with evidence-based health recommendations.
Public health experts increasingly argue that breastfeeding should not be viewed only as a nutrition issue. It is also closely connected to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), maternal wellbeing, newborn survival and women’s rights. Supporting breastfeeding means ensuring quality antenatal counselling, skilled postnatal care, maternity protection and workplace policies that allow mothers to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.
Evidence continues to reinforce this approach. The Lancet Breastfeeding Series has shown that stronger breastfeeding support can reduce childhood illness, improve cognitive development and generate long-term economic benefits. WHO and UNICEF also emphasise that governments, employers, healthcare providers and families all share responsibility for creating an environment where breastfeeding can succeed.
World Breastfeeding Week 2026 therefore served as more than an annual awareness campaign. It was a reminder that protecting breastfeeding requires more than encouraging mothers. It requires building systems that protect their choices, strengthen public awareness and remove the barriers they continue to face. If breast milk truly is every child’s first vaccine, then raising awareness must become a shared national responsibility, not simply a personal one.
Sources:
The Daily Star
BBS