There is no alternative to breastfeeding for ensuring the healthy growth and development of children, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said on Saturday.
He made the remarks while inaugurating the World Breastfeeding Week 2026 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital.
The programme was organised under the theme, “Early Initiation of Breastfeeding: Let’s Act Sustainably.” The ceremony was chaired by Health Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury.
SM Ziauddin Haider, special assistant to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on health affairs; Prabhat Chandra Biswas, director general of health services; Sheikh Momena Moni, additional secretary (World Health Wing) of the Ministry of Health; and Mohammad Yunus Ali, director of the Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN), were present at the event.
Emphasising the importance of awareness, the minister said breast milk is the world’s finest source of protein and serves as the primary source of nutrition for an infant during the first four to five months of life.
He said that feeding colostrum (shal dudh) immediately after birth is essential, describing it as a rich source of protein.
He also said all religions, including the Holy Quran, encourage breastfeeding for a specific period. However, he expressed concern that many children are being deprived of colostrum and breast milk because of a lack of awareness and the rising rate of caesarean sections. He said that although life was simpler in the past, children received more genuine care than is often seen in today’s educated and affluent society.
Referring to children currently hospitalised with measles, the minister said many are becoming physically weak because of malnutrition.
He criticised the practice of some mothers discontinuing breastfeeding on the grounds of their own poor nutrition, describing it as entirely inappropriate. He identified early marriage, a lack of awareness and failure to breastfeed as major causes of increasing malnutrition.
The minister also criticised the recent inactivity of the Institute of Public Health Nutrition, saying no effective seminars or meetings had been held in rural areas over the past year to raise public awareness.
He also directed the authorities to implement a year-long programme requiring monthly awareness sessions in at least one district, involving Civil Surgeons, Deputy Commissioners and upazila-level officials to promote the importance of breastfeeding. He added such initiatives would help build a healthier future generation and reduce child mortality.
Speaking about breast-milk substitutes, the minister reminded the public that laws are in place to regulate such products. He cautioned that powdered milk available on the market often contains preservatives and medicinal additives, whereas balanced homemade food is a better option for infants after six months.
Concluding his speech, the minister urged mothers not to deprive their children of the natural blessing of breast milk. He said a child finds the greatest sense of security in the mother’s embrace and called for a collective commitment to raising a healthy and strong future generation by choosing nature’s gift over artificial alternatives.
