A new horizon in health sector opened up as Bashundhara Ad-din Medical
College Hospital Saturday embarked upon its journey in South Keraniganj, a
neglected area adjacent to the capital city, with a promise of providing
innovative medical services to the people in need.
Mahaboob Morshed Hassan, Chief Adviser to Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed
Akbar Sobhan, along with National Professor Dr M R Khan, eminent lawyer
and Ad-din Foundation chairman Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haq, executive director
of Ad-din Foundation Dr Sheikh Mohiuddin, famous writer and editor of
leading Bangla daily Kaler Kantho Imdadul Huq Milon and secretary-general
of Bangladesh Medical Association Professor Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed
inaugurated the hospital.
Bashundhara Group, one of the biggest conglomerates of the country,
donated requisite land and money for construction of the infrastructures
of the 250-bed hospital, run on non-profit basis.
Twenty-five out of the 250 beds will be reserved free of cost with all
facilities of food, medicine, medical checkup and physician consultation
for ultra-poor patients.
Mahaboob Morshed said though Bashundhara Group is a commercial
organization, but chairman of the renowned business house Ahmed Akbar
Sobhan always thinks how to do good to the country’s people.
“The Bashundhara Group chairman has turned the housing sector into an
industry. People of the country who work with real-estate projects in
developed areas come to see the projects of Bashundhara Group for
gathering experience. He is the pioneer of paper and cement industry in
the country. All the products of Bashundhara Group are
international-standard”, he said.
But all his (BG chairman) thoughts are centered on welfare of the people,
especially the poor. He initiated interest-free loan among poor people,
which is a totally new idea in the country. And he did it from the
thinking
about doing people’s welfare, Mahaboob added.
He hoped that Bashundhara Ad-din Medical College Hospital would reach an
incomparable height with its extraordinary health service within a few
years.
Professor M R Khan thanked Bashundhara Group and Ad-din Foundation for
founding a medical college hospital in South Keranigonj area as the
arrangements of health services here are very poor.
“The 250-bed hospital will be upgraded to a 500-bed hospital where
importance will be given more to the treatment of mother and child. Other
health services will also be available here. Special measures have been
taken for poor-and low-income people”, he told the inaugural function.
“Question is frequently heard today- whether health service is a service
or a business. The question is raised due to frequent commercial mentality
and
behavior of physicians, clinics and hospitals. But Bashundhara Ad-din has
established the truth that health service is not a business–it’s a
service”, Professor M R Khan.
Expressing gratitude to Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan,
Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haq said there are many rich persons in the country but
very few have come so generously for the welfare of people through health
service the way he did.
He also remembered Sheikh Akiz Uddin, the founder-chairman of Akiz Group and
Ad-din Foundation, for his contribution to the venture for establishing
Ad-din Hospital.
“I thanked Mr Sobhan (BG chairman) for his cooperation in establishing
such a big institution in an area so far from Dhaka. He will get blessings
of people. He has great contribution to the residential development of the
country. I thanked him for his kindheartedness in providing service to
humanity. We hope he will continue his service to mankind”, said the
renowned jurist, Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haq.
Dr Sheikh Mohiuddin said all the land and money for construction of
hospital and medical college building is donated by Bashundhara Group but
Bashundhara has no commercial interests behind this. Bashundhara has done
everything to serve humans, he added.
Imdadul Huq Milon said heart of the BG chairman is full of kindness and
with the thoughts of doing welfare to people.
He mentioned that Bashundhara Group so far has spent Tk 3.5 million for the
treatment of Nikhil Bhadra, a senior reporter of Kaler Kantho who lost his
leg in a bus accident, and the donation of Tk 1 million to the family of
journalist Dinesh Das, who was killed in a bus accident recently.
Prof Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed said Bashundhara has set an example in health
service through establishing such a hospital in a backward area like South
Keraniganj. He hoped other rich people would emulate this.
In the inaugural session three portraits of Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, late
Sheikh Akij Uddin and Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haq were unveiled. Editor of
leading Bangla daily Bangladesh Proditin Noyeem Nizam unveiled the
portrait of the BG chairman, Dr Sheikh Mohiuddin, son of late Akiz Uddin,
unveiled the portrait of his father and Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haq unveiled
his own.
BG high officials, Ad-din Foundation officials, teachers and students of the
newly established medical college hospital and local people attended the
function.