People's Republic of
Bangladesh
Committee: World Health Organisation (WHO)
Country: Bangladesh
Position Paper on Tackling the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance: A Global Public Health
Emergency
In Bangladesh, a newborn’s first breath may carry danger. A mother giving birth in a rural clinic
could face an infection no medicine can cure. A farmer raising chickens to feed his family may
unknowingly breed bacteria that threaten lives across the globe. These are not isolated
tragedies but signs of a global crisis. The world is moving toward a future where routine
treatments become deadly gambles as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) erases the miracle of
antibiotics. With millions relying on agriculture and limited access to healthcare, survival itself is
at stake for Bangladesh. Yet Bangladesh rejects the narrative that blames developing nations
for this crisis. AMR was fueled by historical underinvestment, corporate negligence, and global
inequities. Bangladesh’s stance is clear: solutions must be equitable and phased, built on
shared responsibility, so no country is forced to choose between saving lives and protecting
livelihoods.
AMR poses a threat to Bangladesh's national security in addition to being a health concern.
Treatment for resistant infections, such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), is
becoming more expensive, costing $250,000 per patient, while standard TB only costs $3,500
(WHO Global TB Report, 2023). Families frequently turn to neighborhood pharmacies as their
sole source of healthcare in rural areas, where there is only one doctor for every 1,581
residents. 67% of antibiotics are sold without a prescription, according to a 2022 study, and
many patients discontinue treatment early, which makes the ideal environment for resistance to
flourish.
The problem is not limited to hospitals; it also affects Bangladesh's rivers and farmlands.
Despite the fact that the poultry industry alone supports millions of families and accounts for
1.5% of GDP, 84% of poultry farms regularly use antibiotics, including colistin, a medication
used as a last resort for humans, according to a study published in Nature Scientific Reports in
2022. A sudden ban on agricultural antibiotics with no substitutes would lead to food shortages
and the devastation of rural communities. In a situation where they have no other choice,
antibiotics are a lifeline rather than a luxury for many farmers.
Some nations may accuse Bangladesh of negligence, but this oversimplifies a global issue.
Families self-medicate not out of irresponsibility, but because formal healthcare is often
inaccessible and unaffordable. Bangladesh spends only $42 per person annually on healthcare,
compared to $13,000 in the United States (World Bank, 2023). Even wealthy nations have faced
similar crises: MRSA killed 19,000 people annually, and the U.S. allowed unregulated farm
antibiotic use until 2017 (CDC Report, 2010). Meanwhile, multinational corporations profit by
exporting cheap, outdated antibiotics to low- and middle-income countries while keeping newer,
effective drugs locked behind patents. Those most affected by AMR cannot bear all the blame
for a crisis they did not create.
Despite these challenges, Bangladesh has acted decisively. Its National Action Plan on AMR
(2017–2022), developed with WHO, banned high-risk antibiotics like colistin in animal feed,
trained 5,000 healthcare workers, and launched nationwide awareness campaigns. These
efforts led to a 12% reduction in high-risk antibiotic sales between 2021 and 2023 (WHO AMR
Progress Report). On the global stage, Bangladesh has emerged as a leader: Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina co-chairs the One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR, the country contributes
data to WHO’s Global AMR Surveillance System (GLASS), and works with FAO, WHO, WOAH,
and UNEP through the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund. These actions show Bangladesh’s
commitment to finding solutions — not only for itself, but for the world.
Bangladesh proposes a fair and comprehensive path forward. Wealthier nations must fund a
WHO-led Global AMR Fund to build diagnostic labs, train healthcare workers, and provide
affordable vaccine alternatives for agriculture. According to the World Bank, an annual
investment of $9 billion could prevent future losses of $100 trillion. Solutions must be phased:
start with farmer education and low-cost alternatives, then introduce targeted bans on critical
antibiotics like colistin, and ultimately transition to sustainable, antibiotic-free systems.
Life-saving medicines must also be accessible to all, with pricing based on national income
levels and temporary waivers on intellectual property during global health emergencies, similar
to how COVAX ensured equitable vaccine distribution.
To build a broad coalition, Bangladesh will engage neutral powers like China and Uruguay while
leading developing nations such as India, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, and Kenya. Developed
countries — including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union — must
regulate pharmaceutical exports and take responsibility for the systems that fueled this crisis.
The world now stands at a turning point. Bangladesh has shown that even nations with limited
resources can take bold, principled action, but it cannot fight this battle alone. Sudden bans or
punitive measures would only harm vulnerable communities and deepen global inequality. The
WHO must adopt a resolution that protects both lives and livelihoods, grounded in justice and
solidarity. If we fail, the miracle of antibiotics will fade into history, replaced by a silent pandemic
of resistance. If we succeed, we will safeguard one of humanity’s greatest achievements for
generations to come.
