Each year on 14 June, Bangladesh joins the global community in observing World Blood Donor Day, a day dedicated to honoring voluntary, unpaid blood donors whose simple yet powerful act of giving saves millions of lives. This day also aims to raise awareness about the ongoing and vital need for regular blood donations to ensure safe, timely, and equitable access to blood transfusion services.
In Bangladesh, blood transfusion services are provided by both public and private sectors, operating under the frameworks of the National Safe Blood Transfusion Policy. The estimated annual demand stands at approximately 800,000 to 1,000,000 units of blood, primarily needed for managing various medical conditions, particularly among women of childbearing age, thalassemia patients, and victims of road traffic accidents.
According to the National Safe Blood Transfusion Programme (NSBTP) under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), only about 30% of the total blood collection are sourced from voluntary, non-remunerated donors. The remaining 70% comes from family or replacement donors, highlighting a significant gap in meeting the national demand through voluntary donations alone. The World Health Organization (WHO) has long advocated for the establishment of systems based on 100% voluntary
blood donation in all countries to ensure adequate supply and safe transfusion practices. In Bangladesh, the WHO Country Office has been actively working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) and other stakeholders to promote and increase voluntary blood donation nationwide.
“As the country’s need for blood steadily increases, the importance of voluntary blood donation becomes ever more vital. To meet this growing demand and ensure no life is lost due to a lack of blood, we must strengthen our commitment to regular, voluntary donations. We urge the young generation to take the lead in this life-saving mission” - Dr Md. Zainal Abedin Tito Line director, Hospital services management. Directorate General of Health Services.
A recent assessment conducted by WHO revealed that, despite high demand, a portion of collected blood remains unused, highlighting inefficiencies in need-based collection and utilization planning.
Nevertheless, Bangladesh is home to several prominent voluntary blood donor organizations, such as the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Sandhani, and Badhan, that play a pivotal role in supporting the national blood supply.
“Bangladesh has made good progress in strengthening blood transfusion services. To sustain and build on this, it is essential to accelerate awareness movement that motivate and inspire more people to donate blood”. Dr Murad Sultan National Professional Officer, Patient Safety and Blood Safety
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This year’s observance of World Blood Donor Day 2025 in Bangladesh was marked by vibrant community engagement and renewed national commitment to voluntary blood donation. Led by the WHO Country Office in coordination with the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Blood Transfusion Society of Bangladesh, the campaign embraced the global theme for 2025: 🩸 “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives.”
Key highlights included:
- Development of a Bangla informational leaflet by WHO, translating the campaign slogan and key messages to enhance public outreach.
- Distributed the thematic posters, designed and printed by the Blood Transfusion Society of Bangladesh, across public and private hospitals.
Issuance of recognition certificates to honor the selfless contribution of voluntary blood donors.
Healthcare facilities across the country responded enthusiastically by organizing a range activities, including:
- Seminars and workshops highlighting the importance of voluntary blood donation.
- Awareness rallies involving healthcare professionals, students, and community members.
- Donor recognition ceremonies, featuring the distribution of certificates and tokens of appreciation
- Media campaigns and storytelling initiatives that celebrated donors and educated the public on the value of blood donation.
/countries/bangladesh/certificate-recipient-standing-with-banner.jpg?sfvrsn=a348fb58_3 "Certificate Recipient Standing with Banner")
The Department of Transfusion Medicine, in collaboration with local hospitals, played an instrumental role in mobilizing healthcare staff and administrators. In the lead-up to world blood donor day, several facilities-based blood collection drives were conducted, reflecting growing institutional support for strengthening voluntary donor pools. The 2025 observance sparked meaningful dialogue around the health benefits of regular blood donation, its contribution to achieving universal health coverage, and the urgent need to build a safe sufficient, and sustainable national blood supply.
For more information on this publication, please contact Salma Sultana, ssultana@who.int