Medical Education and Family Welfare Division

division · verified (verified 2026-05-17)

Profile

Head: Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury
Role: Secretary
Annual budget: ৳108,860,000,000
Staff: —
Established: 2017
Legal basis: Bifurcated from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 16 March 2017 by Cabinet Division allocation order; operates under the Rules of Business 1996 (Government of Bangladesh).

Managing two concurrent crises: an acute contraceptive stock-out across more than one-third of upazilas -- exposing a structural DGFP procurement breakdown -- and a PM-directed emergency activation of six idle children's hospitals, with a compliance deadline of 2 June 2026; medical education track is comparatively stable following completion of MBBS/BDS 2025-26 admissions (classes began 25 April 2026) and the April 2025 BSMMU-to-Bangladesh Medical University rename.

Recent activity

2026-02-17 appointment BNP government sworn in; MEFWD continues under MoHFW Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain (Narsingdi-4); Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury confirmed as divisional head. ↗↗
2026-03-10 other DGME released 1st merit list for MBBS/BDS 2025-26 session (test held 12 December 2025; 66.57 percent pass rate); 5,645 government seats (5,100 MBBS + 545 BDS) and 7,406 private seats (6,001 MBBS + 1,405 BDS) allocated; formal admission window 25-29 March 2026, classes from 25 April 2026. ↗↗↗
2026-03-25 policy MEFWD formally launched the Bangladesh National Family Planning Strategy 2025-2030, with UNFPA technical support; the strategy shifts from population-control framing to a rights-based approach targeting zero unmet need, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence by 2030. ↗↗↗
2026-04-22 scandal DGFP declared a 'red alert': contraceptives out of stock in more than one-third of 487 upazilas; as of 20 April, only 1.795 million condoms (36-day supply), 2.963 million oral pills (40-day supply), no implants nationwide; IUDs exhausted in 395 upazilas. Stalled procurement since July 2024 cited as root cause. CPR dropped to 58.2 percent from 62.7 percent (2019); TFR rose to 2.4, the first increase in 50 years. ↗↗↗
2026-05-10 policy PM Tarique Rahman chaired emergency meeting with MoHFW minister, State Minister Dr MA Muhit, and MEFWD Secretary Quamruzzaman Chowdhury; directed immediate operationalisation of six long-idle children's hospitals (Rangpur, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barishal, Sylhet, Comilla) built at Tk 320 crore; progress report due 2 June 2026. ↗↗↗
2026-05-13 reform DGFP initiated emergency procurement of 12 million condoms and 3 million oral pills; supplies expected at district level by mid-May 2026. Procurement insufficient to close the full gap; a major multi-contraceptive tender approved November 2025 remains at initial stage with four-month delivery lead time. ↗↗↗

Provenance & notes

Budget figure Tk 10,886 crore (Tk 4,984 crore operational + Tk 5,902 crore development) sourced from BSS and Finance Division budget portal for FY2025-26. MEFWD bifurcated from MoHFW on 16 March 2017 (confirmed by Wikipedia and Grokipedia). Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury confirmed by TBS, BSS, Dhaka Tribune, and Bangla Mirror reporting on the 10 May 2026 PM meeting. head_since left null: appointment date not found in available primary sources. BSMMU renamed Bangladesh Medical University by presidential ordinance 13 April 2025 (gazette 16 April 2025); Acting VC is Professor Dr Md Shahinul Alam. MBBS/BDS 2025-26 admission figures (13,051 total seats; 5,645 government, 7,406 private; test 12 December 2025; 66.57 percent pass rate; 1st merit list 10 March 2026; classes 25 April 2026) sourced from BSS, Prothom Alo, and DGME portal. Contraceptive crisis data (as of 20 April 2026: 1.795 million condoms, 2.963 million oral pills, zero implants, IUDs exhausted in 395 upazilas; CPR 58.2 percent vs 62.7 percent in 2019; TFR 2.4 per MICS 2025) cross-verified across Daily Star, TBS, Japan Times, and BD Pratidin. 25 percent DGFP field vacancy figure (12,720 of 50,648 posts) from Prothom Alo and TBS reporting. National Family Planning Strategy 2025-2030 confirmed by UNFPA Bangladesh, Observer BD, and mefwd.gov.bd policy page.

Medical Education and Family Welfare Division

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