Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan has said that a private hospital will not be built in CRB if the people of Chattogram do not want it.
He made the remarks while exchanging views with the leaders of Nagarik Somaj-Chattogram at Rail Bhaban on Monday afternoon.
The railways minister said the design would have to be approved by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) if the hospital was to be built. If the CDA does not give the design, what will happen to the hospital there? And while there is a legal obligation to approve other agencies, nothing can be done there. Most importantly, there will be no hospital project if the people of Chattogram do not want it.
He said the hospital project in CRB was not accepted by the Ministry of Railways. This is a project of the PPP Authority of the Prime Minister's Office. Investment is also private. The railway ministry has nothing to do here. I will present all the information provided by the civil society to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, who will make the final decision in this regard. However, my opinion is that it would not be right to go beyond the law and the sentiments of the Chattogram people. Everything we do is for the welfare of the people. The government took up the project for the welfare of the people.
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During the exchange of views, Advocate Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul, Member Secretary of Nagarik Somaj-Chattogram, presented the data to the Minister highlighting all the problems of the project.
He told the Minister that CRB is a Heritage Zone declared by His Excellency the President as per the 2009 Gazette. There can be no commercial establishment of any kind here. Legally prohibited. It is the center of the lungs and cultural activities of Chattogram. Graves of 9 martyrs including Chaksu GS Martyr Abdur Rob, Martyr Monwar, Martyr Sheikh Nazir are in this CRB. If there is any installation here, the graves of the martyrs will be destroyed.
He said, We are not against the hospital, I want a hospital. But not in CRB. If there is a hospital other than CRB, we would welcome it.
Co-Chairman of Nagarik Somaj-Chattogram Bir Muktijoddha Mohammad Yunus, Awami League Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam Amin, Jasad Central Organizing Secretary Jasim Uddin Babul, Former President of Chattogram University BCL Shahjahan Chowdhury, General Secretary of Chattogram District Bar Association AHM Ziauddin, Nagarik Somaj-Chattogram Joint Member Secretary& BFUJ Joint Secretary General Mohsin Kazi, Shaheen Ul Islam Chowdhury, Rashed Hasan, Pranab Chowdhury, Advocate Rashedul Islam, Anirban Dutt, Advocate Masudul Alam Chowdhury, Barrister Helaluddin and Barrister Harunwere present during the exchange of views.
Last year, a contract was signed and approved for the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project in the CRB area on 6 acres of the existing Railway Hospital and adjoining vacant land, Railway Hospital Colony Staff Quarters. Private United Enterprise Company Limited wants to build a 500-bed hospital, a 100-seat medical college and a 50-seat nursing institute on six acres of land. The project implementation time is 12 years. The private company has already paid Tk 8 crore to the railways. The agreement stipulates that the hospital will be handed over to the railways after 50 years. The city dwellers joined the movement against the plan to build a hospital and medical college in the CRB on private initiative.