SANTHIA, PABNA, Dec 4: The premises of the Kashinathpur Sub-Health Centre in Pabna's Santhia Upazila have deteriorated into a garbage dump and open toilet, owing to long-standing negligence and lack of maintenance.
With no boundary wall in place, locals and weekly market-goers freely enter the compound to defecate, while traders from the nearby bazar routinely dump waste inside the premises.
The sub-health centre is crucial for residents of Kashinathpur, Ahmadpur and Jatsakhini unions. Yet a portion of the compound has been occupied to build unauthorised shops and makeshift dwellings, causing severe inconvenience for patients who visit the centre daily and are forced to endure foul odours and unhygienic surroundings.
Locals said several hundred patients come for treatment every day as the facility is located beside a highway. "But the moment you enter, the stench becomes unbearable," one resident said.
According to locals, the compound near the main gate has been illegally occupied for decades, with several shops operating openly. Six to seven Harijan (sweeper) families have also built homes inside the facility. Although they were allocated houses under the Ashrayan scheme, they did not relocate.
The old building of the sub-health centre, declared risky and unusable, still remains on site despite a new structure being constructed and opened for service.
Azizul Haque of Tangbari Village, who came for treatment, said, "The doctors here provide good service, which is why I come. But the garbage and stench inside the hospital premises make me nauseous."
Akbar Ali, a mechanic who runs a shop on the occupied land, said he had been there for 40 years. "If the authorities ask us to leave, we will. But removing the shop will make it hard for my family," he said.
Roni Harijan, a resident inside the compound, said seven to eight families had lived there for 40-45 years. "We were offered Ashrayan houses 3-4 kilometres away, but that was too far. If land is allocated closer to the area, we will vacate the hospital compound," he said.
Assistant Professor Shafiqul Alam Khan Titul, a prominent local business leader, said the sub-health centre serves nearly one lakh people. He urged authorities to immediately free the facility from illegal occupation and restore a clean, service-friendly environment.
Dr Enamul Haque, the centre's Medical Officer, said around 150 patients seek treatment daily and face hardship due to the unhygienic surroundings.
Santhia Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Abdul Baten said moves are underway to auction and remove the abandoned old building and fill low-lying areas. Letters have been sent to higher authorities to resolve the issues.
Pabna Civil Surgeon Dr Abul Kalam Azad said steps would soon be taken to clean the premises, remove abandoned structures and evict illegal occupants to restore a healthy environment.
