The Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Professor Md Sayedur Rahman on Tuesday called for increased investment in universal health and well-being at the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD58) at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The CPD is responsible for assessing the implementation of the 1994 declaration on inclusive, rights-focused development, and advising the UN on integrating population and development issues.

In his statement, Professor Rahman highlighted the potential of leveraging social business models by engaging enterprises to reinvest profits into expanding healthcare access, driving innovation in service delivery, and empowering communities.

He further reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to global cooperation stating that as a former chair and current member of the UNFPA Executive Board, Bangladesh is ready to share its experiences and lessons learned, particularly in the areas of maternal health, gender equality, and climate-resilient health systems.

Professor Rahman also spoke at a side event titled “Improving Health and Well-being for Women and Newborns” and organized by UNFPA. There, he underscored the critical role of midwives in improving maternal and newborn health and reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to midwifery education, training and creating more midwifery positions for accelerating progress towards achieving SDGs. Bangladesh currently has around 3,000 professional midwives in service, with ongoing efforts to increase this number further, he added.

Professor Sayedur Rahman is on an official visit to New York to attend the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development, being held from 7–11 April 2025. The delegation also includes Dr Sarwar Bari, secretary of the Medical Education and Family Welfare Division at Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and Shireen Parvin Huq, chair of Women Affairs Reforms Commission.