Help Akij Group set up hospital for coronavirus patients

There are no specialised hospitals for coronavirus patients in Bangladesh, which is now a crying need. Leading business conglomerate Akij Group decided to come up with a solution, offering a two-katha piece of land owned by them in the city's Tejgaon area for the hospital. However, the local councillor, who is an Awami League leader, and his men obstructed the move. Tejgaon is not a residential area. How can a councillor stop such a move? Will the government, the police and the health department keep mum?

The hospital authorities said they could offer treatment for free in two weeks. This is not just an initiative taken as part of the group's corporate social responsibility, it also shows their wholehearted dedication to the cause.

We have seen that many among us have voluntarily stepped forward to distribute essentials among the underprivileged. Many of the physicians and other healthcare professionals have fallen sick while treating the corona-affected patients. If the affluent of the society come forward, Bangladesh will be able to contain the menace. But if the death toll rises, that will hamper the economy. So the businesses should come forward to play their part in the fight against corona.

Akij had plans to build the hospital following the Wuhan model. In China, they built a specialised facility in just a week. Akij has been operation a number of hospitals for the less privileged, so they do have the capacity to run a hospital.As long as they adhere to the rules set by the WHO, they should be offering tremendous support. We expect that the government and the IEDCR will make sure Akij can set up this hospital without any hindrance.

We welcome such a generous move by Akij Group and we hope they will be able to run the hospital for the welfare of the countrymen.