From the 2026-27 fiscal year, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issues and renews private hospital, clinic, diagnostic centre, dental clinic and medical check-up centre licences for two years. Applicants pay two years' licence fees plus VAT in one go and apply through the DGHS HSM website. New licences also need environmental clearance, and facilities using narcotic drugs need a separate narcotics licence. Regular inspections continue, and a licence can be suspended or cancelled for non-compliance.
In this guide 6 sections
If you run a private hospital, clinic, diagnostic centre or dental clinic in Bangladesh, one change affects your yearly routine: licences now last two years instead of a shorter term. This guide explains what was announced, what it means for your cash flow and paperwork, and what to keep ready for inspections.
Last checked: 22 October 2026. This is a plain-language summary of news reports, not legal advice. Rules and forms change. Confirm details with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) before you apply or renew.
What changed
On 10 August 2026, DGHS issued an office order, following directions from the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, extending licence validity to two years. BSS and The Daily Observer reported it.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Who it covers | Private hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, dental clinics and medical check-up centres |
| New validity | Two years, for new licences and renewals |
| Starts | The 2026-27 fiscal year |
| Fee | Two years’ licence fees plus VAT, paid together into the government treasury |
| How to apply | Through the HSM website |
| New licences | Environmental clearance from the Department of Environment is mandatory |
| Narcotics | A separate narcotics licence for facilities that use narcotic drugs |
| Oversight | Regular inspections continue; a licence can be suspended or cancelled for non-compliance |
What it means for your facility
1. A bigger payment, less often. Because two years’ fees and VAT are paid in one go, plan the cash for it. It is one larger payment instead of two smaller ones, so put it in your budget rather than treating it as a routine expense.
2. Fewer renewals, so easier to forget. An annual deadline is hard to miss. A deadline every two years is easy to lose. Write the expiry date in a shared calendar with a reminder at least 90 days ahead, and give one named person the job.
3. The signboard must match. DGHS has directed private facilities to show the licence number and expiry date on the signboard (Financial Express). After you renew, update the board so it shows the new date.
4. Other licences have their own dates. The environmental clearance and the narcotics licence are monitored by the Department of Environment and the Department of Narcotics Control. Keep each date in your calendar. The two-year facility licence does not change them.
5. Inspections do not stop. A longer licence is not a longer gap between checks. Inspectors can still visit during the two years.
What inspectors can ask to see
Rules differ by facility type, so treat this as a practical checklist rather than the legal list:
- The current licence, environmental clearance and, if relevant, narcotics licence.
- Licence number and expiry date on the signboard.
- Staff lists with registration numbers for doctors, nurses and technologists.
- For diagnostic centres, that you run only the tests covered by your licence category.
- Doctors working only at registered facilities.
- Clean patient, billing and report records that match each other.
Our diagnostic centre checklist covers the operational side of getting ready.
Keeping records ready without extra work
Most compliance problems come from records that live in different places: handwritten registers, loose bills, reports on one computer. When patient visits, bills, test results and staff access are kept in one system, you can answer an inspector’s question in minutes instead of hours. That is the practical reason many clinics move to software, whatever vendor they choose. See how it looks in the live demo, or read our guide on clinic management software.
If anything here is unclear for your facility, ask DGHS or a qualified adviser before you act.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How long is a private hospital or clinic licence valid in Bangladesh now?
Two years. A DGHS office order of 10 August 2026 extended the validity of licences, new and renewed, for private hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, dental clinics and medical check-up centres, effective from the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Do I pay for one year or two years when I renew?
Reports of the order say applicants pay two years' licence fees plus VAT into the government treasury at the same time, and apply through the HSM website. Confirm the exact amount for your facility type with DGHS before you apply.
Does the 2-year rule apply to diagnostic centres and dental clinics?
Yes. The order covers private hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, dental clinics and medical check-up centres.
Do I still need a narcotics licence?
Yes, if your facility uses narcotic drugs. It is a separate licence, obtained after the facility licence, and the Department of Narcotics Control monitors it.
Will there still be inspections during the two years?
Yes. DGHS officials, Divisional Directors (Health), Civil Surgeons and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers are to inspect private facilities regularly. A licence can be suspended or cancelled if inspectors find irregularities.
What should be on the signboard?
DGHS has directed private facilities to display their licence number and expiry date on the signboard. With a two-year licence, make sure the date shown is the new one.
Hospify Pro is built by Flexify Ltd for hospitals, diagnostic centres, clinics, doctors and pharmacies in Bangladesh and beyond. Our guides come from the questions owners and managers ask us every week. About us
