Work on the Chandpur Medical College and Hospital, which has been delayed for a long time, has officially begun at last.

It is the talk of this district town, with people from all walks of life expressing much enthusiasm and exuberance about the project, particularly since this was a long-standing demand and a long-cherished dream of the 25-lakh-odd people of Chandpur district.

During her recent official visit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured the local people amid thunderous applause at a big public meeting in Chandpur Stadium that a medical college would be set up here soon, in accordance with the demand placed before her through the local MP, Dr Dipu Moni.

Accordingly, a team comprising experts from the health and family planning ministry, headed by senior assistant secretary Rezwanul Huque, along with additional deputy commissioner Md Jamal Hossain, Chandpur mayor and Awami League district president Nasiruddin Ahmed, civil surgeon Dr Md Saiduzzaman, superintendent of the Chandpur 250-bed hospital, Dr Anwarul Azim, assistant architect Md Masud Parvez, the deputy programme manager of the health directorate, Dr Md Arafat, land officer and executive magistrate Nusrat Pervin, and vice-president of the district Awami League, Dr JR Wadud Tipu, visited the proposed site for the medical college and hospital at Neej Ghachtola in Bagadi union on the outskirts of Chandpur district town in Sadar upazila on Saturday.

A serene and tranquil place, easily accessible by the river Dakatia, it is located adjacent to the Chandpur-Faridganj Regional Road. The medical college and hospital covers an area of some 30 acres. The team members held a meeting at the Chandpur civil office. Rezwanul Huque said, “This medical college and hospital will be equipped with all kinds of modern equipment, just like the five other medical colleges being set up at other places in the country, as per the commitment of the Prime Minister.”

A grocer, Mohammad Hanif Mia, of Biponibagh Bazar told this correspondent: “We won’t have to go to Dhaka for better treatment as we will get very good doctors here, after the medical college is set up.”

Shafiullah Sharker, the headmaster of Omar Ali High School, which is located in a remote char area, Raj Rajeswar, said: “We are indeed lucky. We and our children will get better treatment here and our next generation will see the light of medical education. We are grateful to Sheikh Hasina and Dr Dipu Moni.”

Bagadi union parishad chairman Belayet Hossain Gazi Billal has said, “We are very happy and grateful to Janonetri PM Sheikh Hasina since a medical college is being set up in my union. We are ready to extend full co-operation to it.” His views were echoed by mayor Nasiruddin Ahmed.

Jamaat leader, advocate Md Shahjahan, said, “This is very good news for us all.”

A veteran leader of the BNP’s district unit, Shafiuddin Ahmed, said, “This was our long-pending demand for a medical college. I personally placed this demand several times before Dr Dipu Moni, MP, seeking a medical college in Chandpur. It is being set up here now. My thanks to Dr Dipu Moni, MP.” The senior joint secretary of the district BNP unit, Salimullah Selim, said, “A medical college in Chandpur was a long-pending demand of Chandpur’s people. The BNP government had planned to set up a medical college here. But as our government was out of power, we could not implement it in Chandpur. We are glad that our government’s plan is being implemented now by the present government.”

Freedom fighter and renowned swimmer Sanaullah Khan said, “We feel proud we are getting a medical college here. We want its speedy implementation. We thank all connected with this work.”