In 2023, DSK reached the milestone of thirty-five years, marking a landmark point in its journey. Thirty-five years back in 1988, a group of like-minded individuals came together, motivated by a sense of compulsion, duty and responsibility towards the most disadvantaged people in the country. Inspired by the ideals of the great liberation war and in the background of devastating deluge of 1988, they convened to address the pressing needs of their fellow citizens. In that pivotal meeting, they resolved to establish an organization named Dushtha Shasthya Kendra-DSK.
They decided to initiate a primary healthcare service for the underprivileged poor inhabitants living in dilapidated and densely populated slums of Tejgaon in Dhaka. Initially, they committed to initiating medical relief efforts for those marooned by the flood. Prof. Dr. Nazmun Nahar, the founder President of DSK, generously allowed to utilize a spacious large room in the first floor of their family building at Farmgate as a temporary office, free of charge. However, despite this support, the fund balance was zero! Undeterred, the members decided to raise funds for DSK, marking the modest and humble beginnings of the organization. Over the following three and a half decades, while beginning with no financial resources, DSK never glanced back and consistently advanced forward.
Initially focused on providing primary healthcare as a grassroots local initiative, it eventually evolved into a multidisciplinary national professional organization. DSK now extends its reach to over four million impoverished people across Bangladesh, establishing strong bonds with local communities in its program areas. Community participation has become a pillar of its development discourse. What began with a dream, vision, commitment, zeal, and an urgent desire to serve the disadvantaged poor of Bangladesh has now grown into an association standing on a robust organizational and financial foundation.
In 1989, DSK was registered with the Department of Social Welfare (Registration No. Dha 02273), and in 1991, it obtained registration with the NGO Affairs Bureau (bearing No. 577). DSK obtained a license from the Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA No. 02100-01985- 000369) in 2009.