The visit formed part of a broader policy engagement process following a national consultation workshop on the Community Paramedic programme, jointly convened by ASTHA and AYAT Education in Dhaka. That consultation brought together government representatives, regulatory authorities, training institutes, nursing colleges, and civil society organisations to review the programme’s progress and identify priority areas for reform. The Sylhet field visit extended this dialogue beyond the conference setting, offering policymakers and regulators a first-hand view of how the CP programme functions at the institutional and service-delivery levels—and what it requires for effective implementation.
During the Dhaka consultation, participants reached a broad consensus on several critical reform priorities. These included updating the CP curriculum to reflect labour market realities better, introducing a centralised admissions process led by BNMC, strengthening post-graduation monitoring mechanisms, formalising the scope of CP service provision, and establishing a structured collaboration framework among key regulatory bodies.
The field visit in Sylhet added an important layer of practical insight to these discussions, grounding policy commitments in the day-to-day realities of an institute working within real constraints to deliver on the programme’s promise.
The visiting delegation was led by Mr Mohammad Nora Alam Siddique, Additional Secretary (Medical Education), MoHFW, who had also served as the Chief Guest at the national consultation in Dhaka. He was joined by two Special Guests: Md. Anwar Hossain Akand, Director General, Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery; and Ms Halima Akhter, Registrar of BNMC, the regulatory authority responsible for certifying and accrediting Community Paramedic training institutes and graduates.
The delegation first visited Shimantik Community Paramedic Training Institute in Sylhet, one of the 56 BNMC-affiliated institutes currently delivering the CP programme. The visit provided an opportunity to observe teaching facilities, engage with faculty members, and hold in-depth discussions with institute leadership on programme implementation, quality assurance, and graduate outcomes. Later, both officials visited a community paramedic workspace housed within a Sylhet City Corporation–supported facility, where they observed service delivery in a real community setting.
The visit generated a key strategic recommendation from the Additional Secretary: Community Paramedics should be formally allowed to enrol in the NSDA-accredited Caregiving course upon completion of their CP diploma. Mr Siddique proposed that this pathway be institutionalised and streamlined, creating a clear bridge between CP graduates and Bangladesh’s expanding caregiving workforce.
Institute representatives also highlighted a practical gap within the current curriculum. While entrepreneurship is included as a theoretical subject, there are limited opportunities for students to apply this knowledge in real-world contexts. They recommended incorporating hands-on components, such as service planning, outlet management, and community-based business simulations, to better prepare the increasing number of graduates who aspire to establish independent practices.
The ASTHA Project, in collaboration with MoHFW and BNMC, is now well positioned to build on the momentum generated by both the national consultation and the Sylhet field visit. Together, these engagements have set the foundation for a more coordinated, action-oriented approach to strengthening the Community Paramedic programme. The months ahead will be defined by collective efforts to translate policy dialogue into concrete improvements in curriculum relevance, regulatory oversight, and graduate employability.