The country’s largest makeshift hospital at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital will take treatment for COVID-19 to new heights as illness and death from the disease are soaring.

As the construction work is going fast, the hospital may go into operation next week.

The convention centre will be used as a hospital for the time being and it will return to its previous shape after the crisis is over.

Taking to media, ICCB Chief Executive MM Jasim Uddin said they have made significant headway in the construction work with partial installation of beds on Thursday.
“We’ve reached the final stage of the construction work with installation of 750 beds till Friday morning. Rest of the beds will be ready within two days.”

Citing officials of the health engineering department of the government, Jasim further said the government would like to inaugurate the hospital by April 27.

Workstations for doctors and nurses will be ready after installation of PVC carpeting on ground.

Earlier, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan sent a written proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to construct a makeshift a hospital at the ICCB.

Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir formally tendered the proposal to Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaus at the PMO. The premier accepted the proposal instantly. Sayem Sobhan Anvir also donated Tk 10 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
Bashundhara Group has designated its trade centre with 150 thousand square feet and four convention centres with 90 thousand square feet for the noble cause of treating people infected with the deadly virus which has seriously affected Bangladesh like other parts of the world.

The isolation centre and trade centre will have 2,013 and 1,488 beds respectively. The ICU will be equipped with 71 beds.

The government will provide medicine, doctors, nurses and supporting staff to facilitate the treatment.

Bashundhara Group will also provide supply of utilities (gas, water and power) for the hospital.

The initiative of the Group to convert its trade centre and convention centre into a hospital has already been acclaimed at home and abroad.

Diplomats of different foreign missions and UN agencies in Dhaka have highly appreciated Bashundhara Group’s initiative.

They said the country’s largest hospital will contribute greatly to the treatment of coronavirus patients.

BDST: 1626 HRS, APR 24, 2020
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