BNP leader Dr Rafiqul Islam honoured at Shanghai hospital

Professor Dr Md Rafiqul Islam, BNP’s health affairs secretary and a faculty member at the Bangladesh Medical University, has received a special reception at Shanghai’s Pudong Gongli Hospital as part of an advanced training programme in robotic surgery.

At a ceremony held on Wednesday, discussions focused on the development of urology and endourology in Bangladesh and strengthening cooperation between the two countries in medical education and technology.

Professor Zhong Wang, head of the Department of Urology and Endourology at Pudong Gongli Hospital, delivered the welcome address. He praised Professor Rafiqul Islam’s professional expertise as an SIU fellow, his dedication to medical science, and his ideas and future plans for developing Bangladesh’s healthcare sector. Prof Zhong also expressed optimism about Rafiqul’s initiatives to modernise urology, endourology and the broader healthcare system in Bangladesh.

During the event, Professor Rafiqul Islam outlined recent advances in Bangladesh’s urology sector. He said the country was making progress in specialised fields such as urology and endourology. Modern surgical techniques, the use of advanced medical equipment, improved physician skills and the expansion of specialised services were creating new opportunities for the country’s healthcare system.

He described the introduction of robotic surgery in Bangladesh as a significant milestone in medical science, adding that the current government was also placing importance on advancing the use of this modern medical technology.

However, he stressed that establishing robotic surgery sustainably requires more than installing state-of-the-art equipment. It also calls for skilled surgeons and trained operating theatre teams, regular hands-on training, equipment maintenance, research and the development of training systems that meet international standards.

Professor Rafiqul Islam said robotic surgery represents an important advancement in modern surgical practice. When applied by skilled professionals to appropriately selected patients, the technology can offer greater precision and control in complex procedures. He noted that it holds particular promise for various complex urological operations.

He added that Bangladesh should expand the scope of robotic surgery in the future while increasing the use of modern technology in endourology and other specialised medical fields.

Praising China’s progress in healthcare modernisation, its technological capabilities in robotic surgery and its experience in advanced medical training, Professor Rafiqul Islam said China’s expertise could play an important role in making Bangladesh’s healthcare system more modern and technology-driven.