Medical experts from Japan and Bangladesh met at the Japan–Bangladesh Healthcare Conference 2025 in Dhaka to call for stronger, more widely available rehabilitation services that help people recover from illness and injury and return to everyday life. The one-day conference held at the Amari Dhaka Hotel in Gulshan was organised by Generous Co., Ltd. of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), and it brought together doctors, rehabilitation specialists, policymakers, students and community workers to discuss practical steps. In her opening speech, Miki Koyama, chief executive of Generous, said rehabilitation is vital to patient independence and warned that Bangladesh has too few rehab centres and trained staff, especially outside major cities. Speakers including Dr Nazmul Hossain, Valerie Ann Taylor and Akira Ito shared examples from Japan’s advanced system, where insurance, modern technology and strong community care help people recover and stay well. The guests noted rising needs from strokes, road accidents and an ageing population, and they urged training more therapists, equipping hospitals and making rehab part of routine health care rather than a rare service. Panelists suggested ways to train staff at home, set up new outpatient and community-based services, and use telemedicine and low-cost devices to reach towns and rural areas. They also spoke about the value of linking rehab with local health centres, schools and workplaces so patients get steady support as they heal and resume work or study. Organisers said partnerships with Japanese hospitals and training centres could bring practical skills and equipment fast, and delegates welcomed JICA’s role in sharing knowledge and funding small pilot projects. Students at the conference gained hands-on demonstrations and said they felt more prepared to work in rehab fields after seeing simple tools and exercises in action. Everyone agreed that planning, policy changes and steady investment are needed so gains last and spread beyond big hospitals in Dhaka. Speakers asked the government and health leaders to include rehab in national plans, to back training courses and to offer incentives for clinics to open in underserved districts. The event closed with a hopeful call for deeper Japan–Bangladesh cooperation that combines training, funding and technology so more people can access rehab care close to home. Attendees left with clear ideas for next steps: trials of community rehab programmes, training exchanges with Japanese experts, broader awareness campaigns, and pilot funding to test low-cost equipment and telehealth links. Those plans aim to make rehabilitation a steady part of health care across Bangladesh, easing family burdens, creating local jobs in therapy and care, and helping people regain independence and dignity. The wider move could also boost local training programs and steady employment for care workers.
