Desk Report:
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has said that there is no alternative to breast milk for children’s good health.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of World Breastfeeding Week 2026 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital today (August 1, 2026).
The event was organized to increase awareness of breastfeeding under the theme ‘Breastfeeding at the beginning of life: Take sustainable initiatives, Begman’. The event was presided over by Health Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, and was attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Special Assistant on Health Affairs Dr. SM Ziauddin Haider, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr. Prabhat Chandra Biswas, Additional Secretary (Global Health Division) of the Ministry of Health Sheikh Momena Moni and Director of the Institute of Public Health Nutrition Dr. Mohammad Yunus Ali.
Urging to increase awareness about breastfeeding, Health Minister Sakhawat Hossain said, Allah Almighty has made breast milk the best protein in the world. Breast milk is the main source of growth of a child for the first 4-5 months. It is very important to give breast milk to the child immediately after delivery, which is the highest source of protein. All religions, including the Quran, have mentioned feeding breast milk for a certain period of time. However, due to the increase in the number of cesarean sections and lack of awareness, many children are being deprived of breast milk and breast milk.
He said, in the past, people’s lifestyle was very simple, but love and care for children were genuine. Currently, care for children is largely absent in educated and wealthy societies.
Referring to measles patients undergoing treatment in hospitals, the minister said that children’s bodies are becoming weak due to malnutrition. Many mothers stop breastfeeding their children on the pretext of their own malnutrition, which is completely inappropriate. Malnutrition is increasing due to early marriage, ignorance and not breastfeeding children.
Criticizing the inaction of the public health and nutrition institutions in the past few days, Minister Sakhawat Hossain said that no effective meetings or seminars have been held in the past year to make the general public aware. From now on, a program should be prepared for one year and at least one district should be visited every month, civil surgeons, district administrators and upazila-level officials should be brought to an auditorium to explain the need for breastfeeding and make it mandatory. This will make the people of the country aware and help in raising the future generation safely. At the same time, the child mortality rate will decrease.
Regarding the use of baby food and alternative milk, he said that there is a law in the country to regulate alternative foods to breast milk. Home-made balanced food is much more suitable for children than powdered milk mixed with preservatives and medicine in the market. Khichuri-like diet made of rice porridge, pulses, potatoes and vegetables is the best food for children after six months.
Making an emotional appeal to mothers, the Health Minister said that mothers should not deprive their children of the blessings of breast milk given by Allah Almighty. When a mother takes a child to her chest, the child stops crying in its absolute safety. Therefore, children should be given this natural gift of nature instead of going for artificial alternatives. Let the main oath of today be to create a beautiful, healthy and strong group of children, who will take charge of the country in the future.
