Even after starting six and a half years ago, the construction works of Rajshahi Shishu (Children's} Hospital remain unfinished even after extension of tenure of the project work three times.
It is learnt, contractor under the Public Works Department, Rajshahi, has been engaged in finishing the works of the hospital. But, due to non-completion of works for a long time, Child Ward of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital is experiencing a huge rush of child patients.
According to the PWD sources, the construction farm 'Hossain Enterprise' got the work order of Tk 13o million (13 crore) construction works of five storied Child Hospital at TB Pukur area in 2015. According to the contract, the construction works were supposed to be completed by June-2018. But, the tenure of the works was later extended till December-2019. Again the time frame was extended till June-2020 and the cost of construction was also increased to Tk 230 million(23 crore). The construction site engineers, however, informed so far 95 percent of works of construction have been completed and rest of the works will also be finished soon.
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Meanwhile, according to sources, though the buildings of 159-bed five storied Child Hospital have been completed, many works inside the building still remained unfinished.
Aminul Islam, Sub-Assistant Engineer of PWD, Rajshahi, in this connection informed, the works were delayed during the starting that is why the works could not be finished timely. But, he hoped, the rest of works will be finished soon.
Proprietor of Hossain Enterprise Adbur Rashid said, the PWD took a long time to settle itineraries of the works and the design of the building was changed after starting of the works. The building will be of 10 storied but now works of five stories are being done. The earlier design of the building covered 16,000 sq.ft. but it was later extended to 24,000 sq.ft.
RMCH Director Brig Gen Shamim Yazdani informed,' The children's ward of the hospital always remains crowded with patients and the physicians and hospital staff find it difficult to treat so many patients.
That is why the construction works of the Child Hospital should be completed soon.' Mostafizur Rahman, XEN of PWD, Rajshahi, informed before starting the construction works of the Child Hospital, the area was a slum and it took time to remove that. However, he said, the works of construction of the hospital will be finished soon.
