Health experts and development leaders have urged the government to increase funding for mental health, integrate services into general healthcare, and strengthen public-private partnerships to address the growing mental health crisis in Bangladesh.

Speaking at a roundtable titled “Trauma and Healing: A Collective Way Forward”, organised by Sajida Foundation in Dhaka on Monday, they warned that over 92 percent of people with mental health issues in the country do not seek treatment.

A recent survey of individuals injured in the July–August movement revealed that 28 percent suffered from depression, 20 percent from anger, 16 percent from anxiety, 16 percent from fear, and 15 percent from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), said a press release.

Citing World Health Organization data, Dr Ishakul Kabir, programme manager for NCD and Mental Health at WHO Bangladesh, said a $504 million investment in mental healthcare could yield a $5.33 billion return over 10 years.

“Mental health investment is not just a moral responsibility but an economic necessity,” he said.

SK Muhammad Atiqur Rahman, deputy director of the National Orthopaedic Hospital and Rehabilitation Institute (NITOR), called for psychiatry departments in all major hospitals and increased sectoral budgets.

Sajida Foundation CEO Zahida Fizza Kabir stressed the role of affordable, high-quality services, pointing to her organisation’s work with victims of recent political unrest.

She urged stronger collaboration between government and private institutions and called for mental health to be included in disaster response plans.

Dr SM Mahmudur Rashid of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) highlighted the severe shortage of facilities, noting that Bangladesh has only two specialised mental health hospitals.

Professor Nahid Mahjabin Morshed of Bangladesh Medical University emphasised the need for more trained professionals, along with strict ethical and service standards.

Professor Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury of Dhaka University’s Nasirullah Psychotherapy Unit urged the government to prioritise community-based interventions, train paraprofessionals, and finalise the Standard Operating Procedure for emergency mental health response.

Monira Rahman, country director of Innovation for Wellbeing Foundation, called for a holistic approach backed by robust public-private partnerships.

Other speakers included Syed Md Nuruddin of Plan International, Motiar Rahman of the Micro Finance Regulatory Authority, Dr Mohammad Sohel Shomik of icddr,b, and Md Fazlul Hoque of Sajida Foundation.

The event concluded with the presentation of the survey findings by Farjana Sharmin, general manager of Sajida Foundation.