Bangladesh Healthcare 2026: The State of the System & Why Patients Travel to India

Bangladesh, with 170+ million people, has built a notable healthcare system over the last two decades. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, and other government tertiary hospitals serve the public, while a thriving private sector — including Square Hospital, Apollo Hospitals Dhaka, United Hospital, Evercare (formerly Apollo), Labaid Cardiac, and Ibn Sina — offers modern care to those with means. Despite this, Bangladesh is the single largest source country for medical tourism to India, with over 50% of all medical tourists to India coming from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s Healthcare Landscape (2026)

• Public sector: Medical college hospitals, district hospitals, upazila health complexes.
• Private sector: Square, Evercare (Apollo), United, Labaid, Ibn Sina — primarily in Dhaka and Chittagong.
• Insurance: Largely out-of-pocket; growing private insurance market.
• Outbound medical travel: Estimated USD 2+ billion annually spent abroad — overwhelmingly to India.

Why Bangladeshi Patients Travel to India

• Geographic proximity: Direct flights Dhaka → Kolkata (1h), Delhi (2.5h), Chennai (2h)
• Cost: 60–80% cheaper than Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia
• Cultural familiarity: Bengali widely spoken at hospitals in Kolkata and many in Delhi/Chennai
• Easy visa: India offers fast medical visa
• Advanced procedures: HIPEC, Whipple’s, robotic surgery, CAR-T, BMT, complex paediatric

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