The government took steps in 2010 to build the trauma centre under a ‘physical development project’ for the better treatment of those get injured on Dhaka-Sylhet highway.
Construction work on the 10-bed trauma centre, involving Tk 3.16 crore, started near Bahubal Hospital alongside five other places of the country, official sources said.
Despite fruitful exchange of letters between the local and higher authorities concerned over the last six years, no effective step has so far been taken to make the Habiganj Trauma Centre functional though its building is becoming unusable day by day for lack of maintenance.
The construction work on the building completed at the end of 2013 and the Housing and Public Works department in January 2014 sent a letter to the Health department to take over the building, but it declined to do so as the building had no gas and electricity connection at that time.
According to the Public Works department, Habiganj Palli Bidyut Samiti sent a demand note on March 22, 2013, asking the authorities to pay Tk 47,120 for electricity connection.
It was revealed after reviewing a progress report that the demand note of Palli Bidyut Samiti has been complied with, according to the official sources.
They said the Public Works Department issued two notices for having the electricity connection on May 26, 2014, and January 29, 2015.
However, Habiganj Public Works department did not take any action other than informing the higher authorities after the Palli Bidyut Samiti demanded an additional amount of Tk 6,00,000, the officials added.
On June 23, 2013, the then executive engineer wrote a letter to Jalalabad Gas Company asking for a demand note for gas connection.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to stop providing gas links across the country. As a result, the gas connection to the centre has become uncertain while various pieces of furniture sent by the Health Ministry are lying unused there.
Deputy Civil Surgeon of the district Mukhlesur Rahman Ujjal said they could not accept the building as there was no gas or electricity connection. “There’re many reasons why this building remained unused for so long,” he added.
Executive Engineer of Habiganj Public Works Department Mominul Haque said there is no information about the Trauma Center in Bahubal.
Bangladesh has an acute crisis of trauma centres and manpower to provide necessary care to traumatised patients.
Patients suffering from the trauma of accident need immediate medical attention and in the long-term they need mental support.
At least 7,855 people were killed and 13,330 others injured in 5,516 road crashes across the country in 2019, said Jatri Kalyan Samity, a platform working for passengers’ welfare, in its annual report released in January 12 this year.