Dhaka: The number of tuberculosis patients in Dhaka and Narayanganj has been increasing due to rapid urbanization in the recent past, according to the National TB Control Programme (NTP).

Dense habitation caused by urbanisation and industrialisation in the two major urban areas has been responsible for the rise of TB infection, said NTP line director Dr Md Quamrul Islam at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The press conference was jointly organised by the NTP and BRAC on the occasion of the World TB Day to be observed on March 24, said a press release. This year the slogan of World TB Day is ‘Unite to end TB’.

Mojibur Rahman, national programme consultant of NTP, Abdul Hamid Selim, adviser to NTP Bangladesh on Global Fund, and Quazi Al Mamun Siddiqui, senior manager of the BRAC TB Control Programme were present.

Speaking on the occasion, the NTP officials informed that in 2014, around one lakh patients were diagnosed with the infection, while the number was two lakh in 2015. Besides, in 2014, 6,000 of TB patients died, they added.

According to the NTP database, 2,06,919 patients including 8,103 children were diagnosed with TB in 2015.

In 2014, the success rate for treatment of patients who were diagnosed with TB through cough test was 94 percent, the officials added.