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Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics   Vol 8; Issue 2, 2017 

 

 

EDITORIAL 

Greetings Readers and Members! 

It has been a very hectic 2017 for all of us especially in the Bangladesh Bioethics Society. 
Bangladesh Bioethics Society (BBS) in collaboration with Directorate General of Health Service 
(DGHS), Ministry of Health Bangladesh and American University of Sovereign Nation (AUSN), 
USA, had organized a “Graduation Ceremony and Intensive Bioethics Training Programme” on 15-
16 July, 2017 at IEDCR Auditorium, DGSH, Mohakhali, Dhaka. 

Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali, Chairman, BMRC & Former Health Advisor of Prime Minister, 
People’s Republic of Bangladesh was the Chief Guest in this programme. Special Guests were Prof 
Dr. Mohammad Abul Klam Azad, Director General (DG), DGHS; Dr Ferdousi Haque, Director, 
Planing & Research, DGHS; Prof. Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, Director, Institute of Epidemiology, 
Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) respectively. Prof. Darryl Macer, President, AUSN, Prof. 
Taslima Mansoor, President of BBS and Prof. Shamima Lasker, Secretary General of BBS put in 
great efforts to make all events successful and we are really proud of our Team. 

Two members of BBS have graduated from AUSN, USA in July 2017 and honored by BBS through 
this programme. Many members are enrolling in the Masters or Ph.D programmes and we foresee 
a large community of Alumni in the near future. Bangladesh graduates seem to be leading the 
graduate programme and we congratulate the member of BBS for their intense work and 
commitment to moving forward the agenda of Bioethics.  

In this issue, several issues on bioethics has been covered and following is a brief summary of 
the articles: 

Astronomic Bioethics: Terraforming X Planetary protection by Dario Palhares and Íris 
Almeida dos Santos in their paper provide a philosophical viewpoint on Astrobiology and the 
precise definition of life. They argue that since all living beings have a cellular structure, so the 
basic definition of life is based on this hence the search for extraterrestrial life is restricted to 
extraterrestrial cells. There are two principles related to Astronomic Bioethics: planetary 
protection and terraforming. Planetary protection is based on the fear of interplanetary cross-
infection and possible ecological damages caused by alien living beings. Terraforming is the 
intention of modifying the environmental conditions of the neighbouring planets in such a way 
that human colonisation would be possible. These principles lead to the formulation of the concept 
of Ecopoiesis, a concept related to the creation of new ecosystems in other planets. So, by taking 
portions of the terrestrial permafrost, or ocean or soil, to other planets and if a single species could 
grow, a new ecosystem would start. The authors conclude that Ecopoiesis should be the bioethical 
principle to guide practices and research in Astrobiology. 

 

ZIKA Virus Disease as Public Health Emergency and Ethics by Rhyddhi Chakraborty and 

Edmond Fernandes argue that Zika virus infection has its ethical implications beyond the 
reproductive health of women. Referring to the recent Zika virus infection in Brazil the authors 
recommend highlighting the lapses in the current Zika ethics consultations and recommendations, 
and claim that public health emergencies need to focus on the ethical vision of health capability to 
act and promote sustainable healthcare during emergency times and normal period. They 
recommend that  during  public health emergencies, healthcare systems should focus on the health 



Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics   Vol 8; Issue 2, 2017 

 

 

care of women, and  the national healthcare systems should be adequately capable to  maintain 
global health equity.  
 

In the paper on Nutritional Status, Personal Hygiene and Health Seeking Behavior of the 

Workers of British American Tobacco Company, Dhaka, Bangladesh by M J Haque, A Awal, 
M Rahman and J Sazzad report on a cross sectional study carried out among the workers of British 
American Tobacco Company, Dhaka to explore their nutritional status, personal hygiene and 
health seeking behavior particularly because they are working in a tobacco processing company. 
The sample size was 179 which were selected purposively. The study showed that out of 179 
respondents 89 (49.7%) were in the age groups of 30-39 years and the mean age of the respondents 
were 31.99 ± 6.01 years. Majority (53.6%) respondents informed that they learned about personal 
hygiene from television, and majority (69.83%) of the respondents used only water as materials 
for hand washing. This study provided some important information which might help the 
concerned authority to take appropriate measures to improve the health status of the workers.  The 
authors conclude integrated programs of health promotion in companies should be implemented. 
The people should be motivated about maintaining personal hygiene and sustain good health habit. 
Occupational health, safety and healthy working environment should be maintained by the 
authority.  

In the article on Cervical  Cancer and Ethical issues in HPV Vaccination, authors Fariha Haseen 

and Sadia Akther Sony have focused on the ethical aspects of mass cervical cancer immunization 

programme. The authors present information on the prevalence of Cervical cancer globally which 

according to World Health Organization (WHO) is sexually transmitted by the Human Papilloma 

Virus   HPV, one of the major causes of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the top five 

cancers that affect women around the world. 

Every year more than 250,000 people die from Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection. In June 

2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new vaccine for women, Gardasil, 

produced by the pharmaceutical company Merck that protects against infection by certain strains 

of HPV. Universal vaccination of girls and young women may bring up ethical challenges which 

might make it difficult for smooth implementation of the vaccination campaigns. Most parents 

expressed the desire for more information about the vaccine before they agree to vaccinate their 

children.  The authors conclude that it is the basic right of the parents to have access to all 

information regarding the HPV vaccine and if the parents consider the vaccine inappropriate for 

their daughters they must have the right to refuse to vaccinate their daughters. The ultimate 

decision on vaccinate the children should be taken by their parents to ensure parental autonomy.  

 

Thank you Authors! Readers, let us all commit ourselves in ensuring ethical standards in all our 
lives and work. Please continue to submit interesting and thought provoking articles. Seasons’ 
Greetings to all! 
 
Tahera Ahmed,  
Editor, BJB 
 


