World Leprosy Day in Bogura, Bangladesh

3 February 2026

A report by Md. Waheduzzaman Polu, Project Manager - Lepra Bangladesh.

World Leprosy Day 2026 Celebration at District Level, Bogura

Lepra Bangladesh Bogura team celebrated World Leprosy Day 2026 on 25 January, jointly with the District Health Department and the Bogura District Federation of Persons Affected by Leprosy. The theme of the day was 'Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma'.

The day began with a rally at 10:30am, starting from the Civil Surgeon’s Office, led by the Honorable Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Khurshid Alam. The rally moved along the main roads of the town and ended at the Civil Surgeon’s Office.

Approximately 150 participants joined the rally, including local students, members of the Bogura Federation, government health staff, representatives from health-related NGOs, journalists, and other stakeholders.

Following the rally, a discussion meeting was held, chaired by the Honorable Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Khurshid Alam, with facilitation support from the Medical Officer (CS Office). Speakers included federation leaders, government officials such as the UH&FPO (Sadar), Junior Consultant (CDC), representatives from partner organisations, and Lepra Bangladesh representatives.

The Project Manager of Lepra Bangladesh delivered a brief PowerPoint presentation and screened video messages from Lepra and ILEP. During the discussion, participants emphasised the importance of early case detection, joint efforts to control leprosy, and increased awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination. The meeting concluded with closing remarks by the Honorable Civil Surgeon, who appealed to all stakeholders to work collectively in line with the theme of the day.

After the discussion, persons affected by leprosy and federation members stood along the roadside in front of the Civil Surgeon’s Office with banners and festoons, displaying slogans against stigma and discrimination related to leprosy. To further raise awareness as part of the day’s celebration, speeches, festoon displays, and leaflet distribution were carried out throughout the day in rural areas of the district.