Since 2021, when the United Nations declared July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day through the landmark Drowning Prevention resolution, the day has been commemorated each year with impactful programmes worldwide—uniting stakeholders in the shared mission to save lives and prevent drowning.
To celebrate World Drowning Prevention Day 2025, the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) organized a seminar on July 28, 2025, highlighting CIPRB’s longstanding contributions to drowning prevention and outlining strategic directions for the future.
The seminar was chaired by Professor Mazharul Haque, President of CIPRB. Professor Dr. M A Faiz, Professor of Medicine and Former Director General, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), graced the event as Chief Guest. Professor Dr. AKM Fazlur Rahman, Executive Director of CIPRB, presided over the seminar.
The programme began with a welcome address by Dr. Salim Mahmud Chowdhury, Director, Health System Research Division, CIPRB. The keynote presentation was delivered by Dr. Aminur Rahman, Director, International Drowning Prevention Research Division (IDPRD), CIPRB. His keynote, titled “Introduction to the 2025 World Drowning Prevention Campaign Theme and CIPRB’s Contribution in Drowning Prevention and the Way Forward”, highlighted key achievements and strategic future directions. Field-level observance events under the Nirapode Bhasa project and the SeasSafe project were presented by Md. Abul Borkat, Deputy Director, IDPRD, and Dr. Yeasir Iftekhar, Deputy Manager, SeaSafe Project, IDPRD.
An open discussion session, moderated by Professor Dr. AKM Fazlur Rahman, invited participants to share valuable insights and recommendations to strengthen ongoing drowning prevention efforts. Notable suggestions for future research and intervention areas included: the development of standardized treatment protocols for drowning casualties, strategies for non-fatal drowning management at community-level health facilities, the design and implementation of urban drowning prevention programmes, the creation of a drowning injury severity measurement scale, and the expansion of awareness campaigns to ensure broader public engagement and policy attention. These proposed directions aim to enhance the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of drowning prevention initiatives across diverse settings.
In his speech, the Chief Guest Professor Dr. M A Faiz said, “The ongoing drowning prevention initiatives under various government ministries must be systematically evaluated to assess their effectiveness and identify opportunities for nationwide scale-up. It is imperative to design and implement programmes that are extensible, evidence-based, and scalable to reach communities across the country. Furthermore, drowning prevention education should be integrated into the national curriculum, and efforts should be made to digitize healthcare services and public awareness campaigns, ensuring broader accessibility, efficiency, and sustained impact.”
The Chair, Professor Mazharul Haque, “People still hold outdated perceptions about drowning prevention. It is essential to shift these mindsets through awareness and education. Sustained hard work, sincere intentions, strong team spirit, and effective leadership are key to advancing the drowning prevention movement. There is no alternative to the continuous integration of innovation and technology in this effort.”
All CIPRB staff members actively participated in the seminar, contributing to a productive and forward-looking dialogue on drowning prevention in Bangladesh.
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