Shigella
infection is a leading cause of diarrheal diseases, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Despite its importance, data on
Shigella
prevalence, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns remained limited. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of
Shigella
among patients with acute diarrhea at Tangail Medical College and Hospital, Tangail, Bangladesh, and to analyze the serogroup distribution and AMR profiles of the isolated strains. Stool samples from 96 patients with diarrhea were collected from May 2018 to December 2018 and tested for
Shigella
using biochemical, molecular, and serotyping methods. The isolates were further examined for antibiotic resistance. In addition, pathogenicity of
Shigella
spp. was assessed using
Caenorhabditis elegans
in a solid agar infection assay. Of the total participants, 28.1% were
Shigella
-positive by culture, while 5.2% and 4.15% were positive by molecular and serotyping methods, respectively. All
Shigella
isolates exhibited varying degrees of resistance to common antibiotics.
Shigella flexneri
isolates exhibited high resistance for nalidixic acid only among the tested antibiotics.
Shigella dysenteriae
was resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, erythromycin, gentamicin, and nalidixic acid, while
Shigella boydii
showed resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and nalidixic acid. However, no resistance was observed to azithromycin, tetracycline, levofloxacin, or ciprofloxacin. In the pathogenicity assay, a significant difference in survival was observed in
C. elegans
infected with
Shigella
spp. compared with the control group.
S. dysenteriae
exhibited the highest pathogenicity, with only 21.6% survival of
C. elegans
after 12 h postinfection, while
S. boydii
and
S. flexneri
exhibited 27.47% and 35.55% survival, respectively. This study highlights the importance of regular surveillance of
Shigella
prevalence and AMR patterns in Bangladesh. Furthermore, exploring genomic epidemiology and alternative treatments for
Shigella
infections is crucial in combating its spread and resistance in Bangladesh.