{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T17:18:48Z","timestamp":1783531128461,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782864000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782864000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Therapeutic Advances in Infection"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>HIV\/AIDS in Bangladesh has historically remained below 0.01% prevalence in the general population; however, recent provisional epidemiological data indicate a concerning shift, with the highest annual increase recorded between November 2024 and October 2025 (1891 new cases; 254 AIDS-related deaths), signaling evolving transmission dynamics. Despite an overall low national prevalence, the epidemic remains highly concentrated among key populations, including people who inject drugs (PWID), men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), transgender individuals, and migrant workers, where prevention and service coverage gaps have been documented. This narrative review synthesizes evidence published between 2015 and 2025 on HIV epidemiology, prevention strategies, testing infrastructure, treatment outcomes, and structural barriers in Bangladesh. Data were drawn from peer-reviewed studies identified through systematic searches of PubMed\/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Bangladesh-specific repositories, supplemented by national surveillance reports (National AIDS\/STD Programme; Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveys), international agency documents (UNAIDS, WHO, Global Fund), and recent programmatic reports. Both peer-reviewed and grey literature sources were included to capture the full range of available evidence. Findings reveal significant deficiencies across the HIV response cascade. Geographic availability of testing services is limited to 23 of 64 districts, and prevention coverage is suboptimal, reaching just 26% of MSM and male sex workers. Progress along the treatment cascade shows 82% of people living with HIV diagnosed (approximately 14,334 of an estimated 17,480), 74% of those diagnosed receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 91% of those on ART achieving viral suppression, all falling short of global 95-95-95 targets. Behavioral indicators highlight ongoing vulnerabilities; only 14.4% of MSM report condom use with commercial partners in the past 6\u2009months and 27% of female sex workers reporting no condom use at last sexual encounter. Stigma and discrimination continue to undermine the response, with 68% of people living with HIV reporting feelings of shame and 54% reporting guilt related to their diagnosis, adversely affecting testing, disclosure, and care engagement. Despite these challenges, harm reduction programs and a pilot pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiative demonstrate substantial promise. Strengthening targeted prevention, expanding testing and treatment access, and addressing stigma, funding constraints, and structural barriers are essential to sustaining Bangladesh\u2019s low-prevalence status and advancing toward the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/20499361261459589","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T11:51:15Z","timestamp":1783338675000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The HIV\/AIDS landscape in Bangladesh: an updated review of epidemiological trends, prevention gaps, and key population engagement"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-3243-227X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tahsin","family":"Waseqa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-8605-688X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sumaiya","family":"Haque","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-8176-3072","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ramisa","family":"Anjum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, 74\/A, Green Road, Farmgate, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1230-7918","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad","family":"Shahriar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2218-4061","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohiuddin Ahmed","family":"Bhuiyan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, Farmgate, Dhaka, Bangladesh"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1258\/0956462991914492"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jve.2025.100614"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","unstructured":"Shawon AA. Bangladesh reports 1 891 new HIV cases in a year. Dhaka Tribune [Internet] https:\/\/www.dhakatribune.com\/bangladesh\/health\/397729\/bangladesh%C2%A0reports-1-891%C2%A0new%C2%A0hiv%C2%A0cases-in-a%C2%A0year (2025 accessed 1 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/sexes6030034"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","unstructured":"National AIDS\/STD Control Programme (NASP). WORLD AIDS DAY 2025 \u2013 HIV\/AIDS Situation in Bangladesh [PowerPoint slides]. National AIDS\/STD Control Programme Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of Bangladesh https:\/\/asp.portal.gov.bd\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/asp.portal.gov.bd\/page\/7c06639b_9fdf_4997_9175_054276344da7\/2025-12-03-06-30-de408b29812b60529f3b4029a90f8e88.pdf (2025 30 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_2","unstructured":"National AIDS\/STD Programme (NASP). Fifth National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS Response 2024\u20132028. Dhaka: National AIDS\/STD Programme Directorate General of Health Services Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of Bangladesh https:\/\/asp.portal.gov.bd\/sites\/default\/files\/files\/asp.portal.gov.bd\/page\/2d04f70c_c5e5_4d3d_9a13_e8cc7e5af9c9\/2025-02-13-10-46-758ae893460e66140f1fa7ded1794d27.pdf (2023 accessed 30 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12954-025-01316-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3329\/jhpn.v27i4.3404"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_2","unstructured":"Shawon AA. HIV cases rise in Bangladesh as stigma funding cuts service gaps deepen crisis. Dhaka Tribune [Internet] https:\/\/www.dhakatribune.com\/bangladesh\/health\/397708\/bangladesh-faces-new-hiv-challenges (2025 accessed 30 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2055-6640(20)31097-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijregi.2025.100618"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s41073-019-0064-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_2","unstructured":"UNAIDS. 2024 global AIDS report\u2014The urgency of now: AIDS at a crossroads [Internet]. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV\/AIDS https:\/\/www.unaids.org\/en\/resources\/documents\/2024\/global-aids-update-2024 (2024 accessed 03 March 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4159\/9780674028845"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_2","unstructured":"National AIDS\/STD Programme (NASP). Fourth National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS Response 2018\u20132022. Dhaka: National AIDS\/STD Programme Directorate General of Health Services Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of Bangladesh https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/bangladesh\/sites\/unicef.org.bangladesh\/files\/2018-10\/NSP%204th%20%202018-2022_draft-250517-2.pdf (2016 accessed 30 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_2","unstructured":"UNFPA Bangladesh. HIV\/AIDS [Internet] https:\/\/bangladesh.unfpa.org\/en\/topics\/hivaids (2025 accessed 11 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.344"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0286673"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lansea.2025.100629"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0236557"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0221637"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_2","unstructured":"National AIDS\/STD Control Programme (NASP). Mapping and size estimation of key populations and HIV risk behaviors in Bangladesh: PSE Report 2023. Dhaka: National AIDS\/STD Control Programme https:\/\/www.aidsdatahub.org\/sites\/default\/files\/resource\/pse-report-2023-final-draft.pdf (2023 accessed 30 Dec 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0269375"},{"issue":"6","key":"e_1_3_4_25_2","article-title":"HIV\/STI awareness and testing among young Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional analysis","volume":"22","author":"Hossain MA","year":"2025","unstructured":"Hossain MA, Zablotska-Manos I. HIV\/STI awareness and testing among young Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional analysis. 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