Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised a public medical college in Chandpur four years back, but even so the government is yet to put it in place.
Political inertia has made implementation of the PM’s promise uncertain, locals allege.
On April 25, 2010, Hasina had promised to establish a medical college in Chandpur. In a followup action to this, the Health Ministry notified the Directorate of Health about this.
As per the ministerial directive, Dr Md Abdul Basit, acting director for planning and research at the Directorate of Health, wrote to the director, (health) of Chittagong division.
The letter sought a report along with opinions after choosing feasible sites for establishing the college in the district.
A team of senior health officials, including the then acting director Dr Sheikh Shahabuddin Ahmed and assistant director (administration) Dr Salauddin Mahmud visited the district on January 3 last year.
They also held a meeting with district administrative officials and civil society leaders at the civil surgeon’s office and discussed the matter.
They visited quite a number of sites, chose a few of them and proposed them as the college’s possible sites. They also said they would send their proposal very soon.
Plans were then afoot that the foundation stone of the medical college would be laid well before the 10th parliamentary election.
Former civil surgeon Abdus Sattar Mia told the Dhaka Tribune that three sites each next to the civil surgeon office, Chandpur Fisheries Research Institute and Technical Institute had been proposed for establishing the college.
“After maintaining all formalities, we had also sent a file to the Chittagong divisional health office.”
Director Alauddin Ahmed Majumder, health, Chittagong Division, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We sent a report along with opinions on the feasible sites for establishing the college six months ago, but we have not yet heard anything from them.
Moreover, the place where the college will be established has not still not been chosen finally.”
Deputy Commissioner Md Ismail Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: “There were talks about this last year. A few sites had also been selected. Whatever we were supposed to do, we had done. Now I do not know anything about it.”
Chandpur Awami League Vice President Alhaz Osman Gani Patowari said Dr Dipu Moni, MP for Chandpur 3, was trying to get the college set up in the district in line with the prime minister’s promise made four years back.
MP Dipu Moni, a former foreign minister, however could not be contacted on the phone.
Chandpur District Awami League President and MP for Chandpur 4 Dr Mohammad Shamsul Hoque Bhuiyan said: “I do not know whether the prime minister has ever made any promise to set up a public medical college here.
“However, there is a proposal to set up a private medical college here. It is possible.”