The long cherished dream of a philanthropist to establish an "Integrated Medical Centre for Research and Training" has remained unfulfilled since 1982 though successive governments have expressed interest to help set it up.
The establishment of the centre is aimed at integrating Chinese herbal/ traditional remedies into the country's existing system of healthcare at an affordable cost.
"My proposal received appreciation from top to bottom of the government, Chinese embassy in Dhaka and many more. But even after 32 years it didn't see the light of the day due to the lack of proper attention by government officials concerned," said London School of Economics (LSE) graduate and chairman of China-Manjala Enterprise Iftekar H Chowdhury.
"Even I was ready to offer my land property located in Savar, Dhaka to set up the centre. But, the health ministry officials have washed their hands by just sending my preliminary development project proposal to Economic Relations Division (ERD)," he said.
Ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) senior assistant chief AMA Rizwanul Huq told the FE late last week that the ministry did not hear any development regarding the project proposal after forwarding it to the ERD in May 2006 for seeking technical and financial assistance from the Chinese government.
"We appreciate your effort for being with the government. I hope your dream will come true some day," this is what the MoHFW conveyed Mr Chowdhury in 2012.
In July 2011 then Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh Xianyi in a letter thanked Mr Chowdhury for his efforts to set up the medical research institute. "In the past 30 odd years you and your family have been devoted to China-Bangladesh friendship, bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and I really appreciate that," he wrote.
Failing to get any expected result he published an appeal in August 2013 in a newspaper to draw attention of both the governments of Bangladesh and China seeking assistance to help establish the public welfare institute.
Mr Chowdhury told the FE that he had floated the plan in late 1970s which achieved progress in 1980s. The Bangladesh Bank, Board of Investment, successive prime minister's office showed interest in the said project in 1990s. The MoHFW designated it as a project of special status in 2006, but since then no progress was made so far.
He said unless Bangladesh government shows sincere interest the Chinese government would not come forward with technical or financial assistance for the project.
Mr Chowdhury claimed that he had met finance minister AMA Muhith where he was assured of cooperation in setting up of the institution. However, the assurance so far did not bring any progress for the project.
He said the effort to set up of the institution was aimed at to explore Chinese traditional medicine, its use in combination with mainstream and other alternative system, widen patients' treatment facility across the country, and to give emphasis on research and training to upgrade traditional medicine sector to a more advanced stage.
"I am not angling to get a position in the proposed institute, but I want it to see the light of the day and bring wellbeing for the people of the country," he said and sought attention of the government's high-ups in this connection.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
