By Ahmed Faruque Hassan, IOL Bangladesh Correspondent

DHAKA, December 24 (IslamOnline) - Adherence to religious values, disciplined life and morality is a must to save the nation from the killer disease AIDS, said Bangladesh’s top Armed Forces officials at a seminar in Dhaka Monday, December 23.

They said AIDS is one of the most global crises that required an unprecedented response from each and every one of us. HIV/AIDS epidemic is a task beyond individual efforts. It requires communities, nations and regions to come together in concerted and coordinated action to combat the menace.

Bangladesh is still rated among the least world countries hit by HIV/AIDS. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, has for many years registered very low levels of HIV infection, even in high-risk groups.

But the Bangladeshi people are still faced with many risky behaviors, and the epidemic may eventually spread, the officials added.

The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) organized Monday a seminar on HIV/AIDS at Shenakunja at Dhaka Cantonment.

Director General of Medical services, Major General Mohammad Abul-Hossain, chaired the session while Commander of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and chairman of the Technical Committee of National AIDS Committee, Major General ASM Matiur Rahman, presented the keynote paper in the seminar.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, addressed the seminar as the chief guest while Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Shah Iqbal Mujtaba, and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Fakhrul Azam, spoke as special guests.

In his word, General Matiur Rahman mentioned that since the beginning of the epidemic, 60 million people have been infected with the virus of which more than 20 million had already died. Up to 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, more than 90 percent of whom are in the developing world.

He added that world AIDS day is now in its 15th year. The slogan of the two-year world AIDS camping - “Live and Let Live” - will focus on stigma and discrimination. The main objective of the camping is to prevent, reduce and eliminate HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination, wherever it occurs and whatever its form.

Political, social and logistic challenges in increasing HIV prevention activity in Bangladesh may seem overwhelming, said General Matiur, adding that if they are undertaken now, while HIV prevalence is still low, HIV/AIDS epidemic may be averted.

The leaders and people of Bangladesh have an opportunity to turn the country into a successful story for HIV/AIDS prevention, he added.

Lieutenant General Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury called upon the members of the Armed Forces to come forward to prevent AIDS like other government and non-government organizations as it is high time this human killer disease was prevented .

The Chief of Army Staff cautioned of the risk of AIDS despite the number of HIV/AIDS-affected people in Bangladesh’s Armed Forces being very negligible compared to the armed forces of other countries.

“So far, more than 30,000 members of the Armed Forces stayed abroad on peacekeeping operations at different times in various countries. Of them, only three were affected with AIDS,” he said. Addressing the seminar as chief guest, General Mashhud underscored the need for creating extensive mass awareness about the curse of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

“A stitch in time saves nine,” he reminded, saying that this is the right time for preventing AIDS. “The best way to avoid this killer disease is to pursue a normal and disciplined life, to strictly follow the religious teachings and uphold the moral values.”

In his paper, Major General Matiur Rahman said 69 percent of the rickshaw-pullers go to the female sex workers (FSW) for sex and around 69 percent of the truckers also visit the FSW for the same purpose. Amongst them, about 75 percent of the rickshaw-pullers and 5 percent truckers were found married.

He said almost 34 percent MSM (Male sex with males) and 33 percent IDU (Intravenous drug users) go to the FSW for sex. Amongst them, 46 percent MSMs and 48 percent IDUs are married. On the other hand, 10 percent of the FSWs were found married.