The Department of Public Health at the State University of Bangladesh (SUB) successfully organized a seminar titled “Invisible Enemies: Microplastics and the Unseen Risks to Maternal and Newborn Health” on the occasion of World Health Day 2025.
The event was held at the Doctors Club on SUB’s Permanent Campus in South Purbachal, Dhaka-1461.
The program was formally inaugurated by the Honorable Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Dr. Md. Akhter Hossain Khan, who emphasized the importance of global health awareness and the need for academic engagement on emerging public health threats.
The keynote speech was delivered by Md. Mahmudur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, SUB. In his presentation, he highlighted the growing concern of microplastic pollution and its silent but significant threat to maternal and newborn health, a topic often overlooked in mainstream health discourse.
The seminar featured two distinguished panel speakers: Professor Dr. Shamsun Nahar, Adjunct Faculty at the Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) and Former Professor at King Khaled University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Professor Dr. HalidaHanum, Member of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, Government of Bangladesh, and Senior Associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA. Both speakers shared their academic and professional insights, stressing the urgent need for policy-level interventions and increased public awareness regarding microplastic contamination and its reproductive health implications.
Special addresses were delivered by Dr. Ahmed Hussain, Registrar of SUB, and Brigadier General (Dr.) Md Afzalur Rahman, Principal, State College of Health Science, who graced the event as a distinguished guest and expressed appreciation for the university’s commitment to public health education.
The event concluded with Closing Remarks bythe session chair, Professor Dr. Md. Anower Hussain, Head of the Department of Public Health, SUB. He reiterated the department’s ongoing dedication to research and education on critical health issues and called for interdisciplinary efforts to combat the unseen yet growing threats posed by microplastics.
The entire program was moderated and conducted by Md. Allama Faysal, Lecturer and Coordinator, Department of Public Health, SUB.Faculty members and students from State University of Bangladesh and the State College of Health Science were present at the seminar, contributing to a vibrant and engaged audience.
This seminar aligns with the university’s mission to foster awareness and academic dialogue on emerging global health challenges, promoting sustainable and evidence-based solutions for the well-being of future generations.
