Nearly 14 million people in Bangladesh are living with diabetes, making it one of the country’s most pressing public health challenges. According to the 2025 estimates of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than 13.9 million Bangladeshis have the disease, placing the country seventh globally in terms of patient numbers. Yet Bangladesh remains far behind in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Once considered primarily a disease of middle-aged and older people, Type 2 diabetes is now spreading alarmingly among younger generations. More than half of those affected are unaware of their condition, exposing serious gaps in public awareness and healthcare services.
Around 12 out of every 100 adults in Bangladesh have diabetes. Particularly concerning is its growing prevalence among young people. A study titled Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes in Bangladesh: National Estimates and Risk Correlates found that 4.5 per cent of people aged 10-34 have Type 2 diabetes, while another 18.4 per cent are pre-diabetic. Alarmingly, 66.3 per cent of diabetic patients in this age group were previously unaware of their condition. Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and changing lifestyles are increasing the risks and threatening the productivity of the future workforce.
The financial burden is equally alarming. According to the IDF, Bangladesh spends among the least globally on diabetes care, averaging just $74 per patient annually. A 2026 study published in BMC Public Health estimates monthly treatment expenditure at Tk2,043-2,064 per patient, rising to around Tk4,083 in urban areas. Annual national expenditure on diabetes treatment is estimated at Tk12,000 crore. The cost can increase substantially when complications involving the kidneys, heart, eyes or feet develop.
In Bangladesh, diabetes treatment remains heavily dependent on private healthcare, as public healthcare services remain inadequate. Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) corners in government hospitals, which once provided medicines and basic services, have become largely dysfunctional in many places.
The IDF has set five targets for 2030, including diagnosing 80 per cent of diabetic patients, ensuring blood glucose and blood pressure control for 80 per cent, providing statins to 60 per cent of eligible patients and ensuring insulin access for all people with Type 1 diabetes. Although these targets are not binding on Bangladesh, they should guide national healthcare planning.
Experts stress that balanced diets, regular exercise and early diagnosis are essential to preventing diabetes. Appropriate lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 60-70 per cent. However, individual awareness alone cannot address a challenge of this magnitude. Free screening, affordable medicines and accessible healthcare require strong government intervention.
We believe community clinics and Upazila Health Complexes should introduce regular free blood glucose screening for people aged 35 and above and those at higher risk. Government hospitals must ensure the availability of essential medicines, insulin and diagnostic facilities while recruiting trained doctors and healthcare workers. Effective policies and taxation are also needed to discourage excessive consumption of sugary drinks, fast food and unhealthy processed foods. Cities must provide pedestrian-friendly footpaths, parks, playgrounds and safe cycling lanes to encourage physical activity. A national patient database, stronger specialised institutions and expanded research are equally important.
Diabetes is not merely an individual’s health problem; it is a national public health challenge with serious economic and social consequences. Tackling it requires coordinated action by the government, healthcare institutions, communities and citizens.
