Visit to BMS office and Visit of BMS team to stakeholders
Mr. , Country Lead of the -funded Midwife-led Enterprise Assessment (MEA) project, visited the BMS office on 26 January 2026. During the discussion, it was identified that BMS could establish a partnership and contribute to the assessment, particularly in areas related to policy development for Midwifery-Led Care Centres (MLCC). This initiative is expected to strengthen BMS’s ongoing advocacy efforts. BMS may also support the project through data collection activities.
As Ms. Rima Akter, Executive Member of BMS, was present at the
meeting, she may take the lead in coordinating the data collection process and
present further details in upcoming NEC meetings.
A Google Form link for data collection is provided below.
Approval is requested to circulate the link on the official BMS Facebook page
to initiate the data collection process:
The BMS team visited the (BPSC) on 1 February 2026.
Representatives of the unemployed midwives’ association, including Syeda
Mahfuja Akter Jhumu, former Vice President, were also present.
During the visit, Director Walid Abdullah Fahad informed us via the reception that the commission is prioritizing the publication of results for the written examination for the recruitment of 401 midwives. Following a request for an in-person discussion, Mr. Motiur Rahman, Public Administration Officer of BPSC, met with the team at the reception and assured that the results would be published by the second week of February 2026.
On 2 March 2026, the Vice President, former Vice President,
General Secretary, and Treasurer of BMS had the privilege of meeting the
Honorable Minister of Health, , to extend congratulations following his
appointment.
During the meeting, the BMS team raised key concerns regarding
the strengthening of midwifery recruitment in government health facilities,
emphasizing the shortage of skilled midwives in the healthcare system. As
representatives of the Bangladesh Midwifery Society (BMS), the team also
highlighted emerging challenges affecting the development of the midwifery
profession and advocated for strategic actions to address these issues.
A coordination meeting was held on 18 February 2026 between
representatives of (UNFPA), , and the Bangladesh Midwifery
Society (BMS) to address the ongoing employment crisis of midwives and explore
strategies to strengthen midwifery services in Bangladesh.
The discussion highlighted several key challenges, including
slow government recruitment despite newly created posts, limited functionality
of district health facilities, and the absence of designated midwife positions
and adequate remuneration in private hospitals.
Participants emphasized the importance of policy advocacy to
ensure the inclusion of midwives in private healthcare staffing structures and
to promote the establishment of Midwifery-Led Care Centres (MLCC). It was
agreed that BMS and OGSB would jointly advocate with the Ministry of Health and
the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), including drafting formal
communications and conducting sensitization workshops with private hospitals.
UNFPA will continue to support the advocacy process.
Additionally, BMS and OGSB will hold regular quarterly coordination meetings
and develop advocacy materials, including presentations, to advance the agenda.
On 9 March 2026, a meeting was held with , Past President
of OGSB, and Dr. Kesuara to discuss Phase II of the C4W project.
It was agreed that a field visit would be conducted on 15–16
March 2026, where members of the BMS team would participate. The outcomes of
this meeting will guide the planning and design of upcoming project activities.
On 15 March 2026, Sharmin Shobnom Joya, Project Manager and
Coordinator (Advocacy and Monitoring), along with Shakhwat Hossain, attended a
C4W program at Mugdha Medical College and Hospital, organized by OGSB under the
leadership of .
The program provided valuable insights into the implementation
of the C4W project. OGSB has developed a training module and is disseminating
it among faculty members across three hospitals, with the aim of integrating it
into their academic curricula. The hospitals involved include Mugdha, Sir
Salimullah, and others.
An online meeting was held on 16 March 2026 with the appointed
audit firm, attended by the Treasurer and Finance Manager of BMS. The auditor
informed the team of a scheduled visit to the BMS office on 29 March 2026 and
committed to sharing a checklist of required documents in advance.
Additionally, the auditor will provide technical support to BMS
in obtaining Tax Identification Number (TIN) and Business Identification Number
(BIN).
On 25 March 2026, the Project Manager attended a C4W program at OGSB Hospital. Six midwives participated in the session.
Notably, Hafiza Khatun, a senior midwife at OGSB Hospital,
demonstrated strong leadership during the program. Although the session was
brief, it was effective in engaging participants and contributing to the
ongoing implementation of the C4W initiative.