Bangladesh Public Hospitals Face Shortage of Over 11,000 Doctors

During a session at the national parliament in Dhaka on 7 September 2026, the Minister of Health officially announced that public hospitals across Bangladesh are currently facing a critical shortage of medical professionals, with thousands of authorized positions remaining vacant.

According to the official statistics presented to the parliament, the country's government hospitals have a total of 41,806 authorized posts for physicians. However, out of these approved positions, only 30,311 doctors are currently in active service, leaving a substantial gap in the healthcare delivery system.

Specifically, the health ministry's figures confirm that a total of 11,495 medical posts are currently lying vacant in government healthcare facilities across the nation. This widespread vacancy rate poses significant challenges to the administration and delivery of public health services to citizens who rely on state-run medical institutions.

Furthermore, international healthcare benchmarks highlight the escalating demand for medical personnel in the country. Projections based on the World Health Organization's minimum standards indicate that Bangladesh will require approximately 88,909 doctors by the year 2026 to adequately meet public health needs.

In response to the mounting pressure on the healthcare sector and the extensive vacancies, the government has taken several administrative steps to bolster the workforce. Authorities confirmed that a significant number of physicians have already been successfully recruited through the 44th and 48th special civil service examinations.

Additionally, ongoing recruitment processes are actively underway to appoint new assistant surgeons through the 45th, 46th, 47th, and 50th civil service examinations, as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare continues working to address the persistent physician shortage in public hospitals.