Even though cancer is a major cause of death and much physical, financial, mental and emotional suffering, the current situation of cancer prevention and treatment in the country is ridiculously inadequate, claim health experts.

Tobacco is the single most important risk factor for cancer. Bangladesh is one of the largest tobacco consuming countries in the world; each year tobacco-related diseases kill over 100,000 people in Bangladesh, and among this about 38 percent deaths occur from tobacco related cancer mortality, a recent research has shown.

There is no official record available to verify the overall current situation of cancer in Bangladesh; however the data collected by GLOBOCAN shows the current situation of cancer in this region, especially India, Bangladesh and Nepal is quite terrifying.

Ayena was trying to be as quick as possible, adding woodchips to the flame under a clay cooking stove by a roadside in the capital's Rampura. A crowd of half a dozen people was waiting for her to deliver the pithas (a kind of cake).