BBC News - Thursday, 6 December, 2001
Waliur Rahman in Dhaka
General Rashid particularly mentioned soldiers going abroad on UN missions and also returning home from assignments overseas.
He made this highly unusual call in an address at the Armed Forces Medical College in the Dhaka cantonment.
Bangladesh is one of the largest providers of troops to UN peacekeeping missions.
Bangladeshi soldiers are working in many AIDS-prone areas abroad.
According to health officials, the number of people infected with Aids in Bangladesh is still very low by South Asian standards.
Growing risk
The first case of HIV was detected 12 years ago and official statistics say 188 people are now carrying the HIV virus.
Of them, 19 have developed full-blown Aids and 13 others have already died.
The numbers are not too worrying for health officials, but experts say the country may face a major epidemic.
Unsafe sex, mainly with sex-workers, and blood transfusion carried out without proper checks are major sources of concern.
Widespread abuse of intravenous drugs and above all, lack of adequate awareness of the deadly disease also trouble health officials.
According to a survey, about 70% of the blood used in hospitals comes from professional blood donors, many of whom were found to be carrying HIV.
The survey suggests there is a serious lack of information on the disease among the most vulnerable segments of the population.
Now the army chief thinks his troops too are a susceptible group.
He says the risk of acquiring HIV has increased manifold as a large number of military personnel are working in many countries in UN operations.
Information campaign
General Rashid says soldiers working on UN missions leave their families back home, creating an additional risk.
He says this is why the issue needed careful consideration.
Bangladeshi armed forces have so far screened blood samples of some 90,000 soldiers returning from abroad.
Three of them, from the Bangladesh Air Force, were found to be HIV positive.
The military high-command thinks that simple punitive measures or disciplinary action would not be enough to deal with the problem.
Army officials say they are now planning to launch an Aids-awareness programme among military personnel.
011206
BB011212
Copyright © 2001 - BBC. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BBC.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2001. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2001. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
.