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Govt adds 3,048 hospital beds in 8 months
Published : Thursday, 12 November, 2026 at 12:50 PM
Observer Online Report
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The government has increased the capacity of public hospitals across the country by 3,048 beds over the past eight months to ensure better healthcare services for citizens, according to official documents.
The decision was implemented following the assumption of office by the government on February 17 this year. An analysis of health ministry records from April 28 to October 19 highlights a series of expansions across medical college hospitals, district general hospitals, and upazila health complexes, alongside approvals for two new medical colleges in Thakurgaon and Narsingdi on May 15 and June 14 respectively.
Expansion of medical college and district hospitals
Significant capacity enhancements were recorded at several major medical facilities. On September 8, the bed capacity of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura was raised from 1,200 to 1,800.
Earlier, on May 21, the capacities of Mugda Medical College Hospital in Dhaka and Dinajpur Medical College Hospital were doubled, increasing from 500 to 1,000 beds each. Rajshahi Medical College Hospital saw its capacity rise by 100 beds to 1,300 on July 13.
On the same day, several district hospitals experienced major upgrades. Rajbari Sadar Hospital and Rangamati General Hospital were both expanded from 100 to 250 beds, while Joypurhat General Hospital increased from 250 to 400 beds.
Narsingdi District Hospital was likewise upgraded from 100 to 250 beds in June. Furthermore, the National Institute of ENT in Tejgaon, Dhaka, saw an increase of 115 beds, bringing its total capacity to 250.
Upgradation of upazila health complexes
The government has also focused heavily on grassroots medical infrastructure. In June, an initial decision was taken to upgrade all upazila health complexes to 101 beds, which was subsequently revised on August 12 into a new plan to progressively elevate all upazila health complexes to 151 beds.
Additional bed increases included raising Bogura's Nandigram Upazila Health Complex from 31 to 50 beds, and expanding the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital in Dhaka from 500 to 700 beds.
Similar expansions of 19 beds each were implemented at upazila health complexes in Chittagong's Chakaria and Pekua, Kishoreganj's Bhairab, Rangpur's Taraganj, Sylhet's Osmaninagar, Pabna's Atgharia, and Feni's Phulgazi.
Official perspective on healthcare reform
Professor Dr Md Nurul Islam, Director of the Hospital and Clinic Branch of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told media that receiving treatment at public hospitals is a constitutional right of citizens.
"To ensure that patients coming to hospitals with measles or dengue do not face difficulties securing beds, the government has increased more than 3,000 beds across various hospitals in the country considering public needs," he said.
He added that once all upazila health complexes are prepared to accommodate 151 beds within the next year, a profound transformation will be observed in Bangladesh's medical sector.
-SA
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Online-email: [email protected]
