The construction of a hospital in CRB should stop to protect the environment
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association(BELA), said, ‘’There was no legal basis for building a hospital in the (Central Railway Building) CRB in chattogram city.
The people of Chattogram have united in protest against the construction of a hospital in a green garden. Respecting their movement, he hoped that the railways and the private sector would move away from the decision to build a hospital.’’
She said these after inspecting the proposed hospital site in the CRB area of Chattogram city.
‘’Chittagong is the most polluted city after Dhaka. CRB is one of the natural beauty and greenery places in such a city. The master plan has stated this place as a heritage park.
There can be no rationale for constructing any installation by destroying such open gardens. The initiative to build a hospital here is illegal. It can have no legal basis, ‘’ Syeda Rizwana Hasan added.
Mentioning that there is no obstacle to setting up a hospital in any other khas land (Land that Government owner) of Chattogram, Syeda Rizwana Hasan said there are many hospitals in the city for those seeking treatment here. People in Chittagong who do not get treatment will not be able to get services in this hospital.
If the railways or any government agency approves the project, we will challenge it in court. The people of Chattogram have risen above all political identities and are agitating to protect the CRB. There is no chance of the political government going against public opinion if it wants to maintain its minimum popularity.
In the CRB area of Chattogram city, the contract for the project was signed and approved in a Public–private partnership (PPP) project on 2.4 hectares of the land of the existing railway hospital and adjoining vacant land.
United Enterprise Company Limited, a non-government organization, will build a 500-bed hospital, a 100-seat medical college, and a 50-seat nursing institute on 2.4 hectares of land. Twelve years for project implementation. The private company has already paid Tk.80 million to the railways.
The agreement stipulates that the hospital will hand over to the Railways after 50 years. The movement continues under the banner of civil society in protest against the construction of a commercial hospital in CRB, one of the aesthetic and natural beauty centers of Chattogram city.
