The 4th Interim Meeting of the Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons (ACNS) kicked off at a hotel in the capital on Sunday, bringing together neurosurgeons from around the world to discuss and demonstrate the latest advancements in minimally invasive neurosurgery.

The four-day international event, being held from 3 to 6 May, has been jointly organised by the Bangladesh Society of Neurosurgeons (BSNS) and the Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons (ACNS). This year’s theme, “Revitalise the New Standard of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery”, reflects the growing emphasis on safer, faster, and more efficient surgical methods in neurological care.

The event features a range of sessions, including a live scientific conference, live surgery workshops, 3D anatomy sessions, and endovascular simulation workshops — offering both learning and hands-on experience to participants.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prof Dr Moududul Haque, convener of the BSNS, highlighted the significance of such international collaboration.

"Senior surgeons’ presentations will be immensely beneficial for junior doctors. It’s an opportunity to learn from the best," he said. He also thanked the foreign and local medical experts taking part in the conference.

"We initially formed an ad-hoc committee to launch BSNS with the vision of advancing neurological development in Bangladesh. We hope to form a full-fledged committee through elections by June," he added.

Prof Md Shahinul Alam, vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Medical University, emphasised the importance of creating a post-conference task group to improve the country’s medical surgery and healthcare services.

"Like other developed nations, we often struggle with access to advanced technology due to high costs. Around 50% of our patients seek treatment through loans or debts, and about 12% of them rely on interest-based lending. This creates a significant barrier to receiving modern treatment," Prof Alam explained.

"Therefore, our focus must be on making surgical technology more budget-friendly," he added.

He also urged the government to provide hospitals with digital infrastructure and called for stronger international cooperation to overcome technological shortcomings.

"Bangabandhu PG Hospital has produced many skilled neurosurgeons, but we still lack access to cutting-edge equipment. It's time we seek global partnerships to bridge this gap," he reiterated.

Dr Jalal Uddin Mohammad Rumi echoed the need for international collaboration, saying,

"With more cooperation between countries, we can significantly improve the trajectory of Bangladesh’s medical journey."

Dr Md Zahid Raihan emphasised the role of BSNS in shaping the future of neurosurgery in the country. "BSNS is playing a crucial role in writing a new chapter in neurosurgical advancement in Bangladesh. Initiatives like this, involving globally renowned medical experts, will significantly accelerate the surgical skill development of our medical students," he said.

The organising committee of the ACNS Interim Meeting Dhaka 2025 is chaired by Prof Dr Mainul Haque Sarker. The full organising team includes distinguished neurosurgeons from across the country. A number of medical experts of all around the world, including from the United States, Japan, China, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia and so on, took part in the conference.

The conference is expected to pave the way for a stronger, more collaborative, and technologically advanced future in neurosurgery for Bangladesh.