DHAKA, June 13, 2026 (BSS) - "World Blood Donor Day" will be observed tomorrow with various programmes in Bangladesh, as elsewhere across the globe, to encourage voluntary blood donation and ensure the availability of safe blood.

This year's theme of the day is "Give blood, give hope: together we save lives".

Blood Donor Day is observed every year worldwide to promote blood donation and express gratitude to blood donors since 1995. 

Since 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been taking initiatives to observe the day annually.

The day marks the birthday of Austrian-born Nobel laureate biologist and physician Karl Landsteiner, the discoverer of blood groups and the father of transfusion medicine who took birth on this day of 1868.

He discovered blood groups in 1900 and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930 for his contribution. 

World Blood Donor Day is observed on his birthday in recognition of and tribute to his achievements.

To mark the occasion, a rally will be held at 8:00 am tomorrow at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU).

Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Prabhat Chandra Biswas will attend the programme as the chief guest.