‘Relocate hospital project from CRB’

Nagarik Samaj Chattogram, a citizens' platform, yesterday demanded that the government relocate the hospital project from CRB area.

They said this at a press conference at Chattogram Press Club.

Convener of the organisation Prof Dr Anupam Sen, also vice chancellor of Premier University, Chattogram, said with the help of people, they would resist such project for the sake of environment.

CRB, the headquarters of Bangladesh Railway's east zone, is surrounded by hills, hillocks and valleys with a number of century-old trees. The area is considered the oxygen centre of the city. It is also a habitat for different species of birds and wild animals.

People go for morning and evening walks in the area; many others visit the place to take in fresh air, said Advocate Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul, member secretary of the organisation.

"We urge the government to shift the hospital project to another area owned by Bangladesh Railway," said Babul, also vice president of Chattogram city unit of Awami League.

Mentionable, BR signed an agreement with a private company to build a hospital, a medical college and a nursing institute on six acres of land in CRB area on public private partnership basis.