Jamalpur Hospital in Alarming State with Severe Patient Overcrowding

On September 5, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat conducted an official visit to the Jamalpur 250-Bed General Hospital located in Jamalpur. The inspection revealed an alarming environmental condition alongside an extreme surplus of patients seeking medical attention at the government healthcare facility.

During the visit, Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat shared his stark assessment of the institution's ongoing crisis, stating that his experience touring the facility was the worst of his life. He recalled that the 250-bed hospital was established long ago by Begum Khaleda Zia, but alleged that the fascist government failed to undertake any development work over many long years.

The minister highlighted the severe overcrowding at the facility, pointing out that three decades later, a hospital intended for 250 patients is currently accommodating roughly 867 to 900 patients. Expressing profound astonishment at their sub-human living conditions, he remarked that he had never witnessed such a scene in his life and doubted that any comparable hospital exists or should exist in Bangladesh.

Further compounding the crisis, the visiting minister observed that all the beds are placed on the floor, with as many as three children sharing a single pediatric bed amidst a very dirty environment. He specifically noted that the building currently in use was officially declared abandoned back in 2021, yet patients continue to be housed inside it.

Addressing the path forward, the minister noted that approval has already been granted to upgrade the hospital to 500 beds, though the project is currently stalled at the Planning Commission. He concluded by making a direct appeal to the ministers responsible at the Planning Commission and the Finance Minister to promptly initiate the tender process so that construction on the six-story building and the 500-bed expansion can finally begin.