BD-China Hospital in Nilphamari gets nod

A Tk 2,459.34 crore project to establish a 1,000-bed 'Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital' in Nilphamari has been cleared aiming at expanding access to modern and specialised healthcare services in the northern Bangladesh.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Sunday approved the project to reduce pressure on major hospitals in Dhaka and Rangpur by decentralising advanced healthcare facilities to the rural areas.

Titled "Establishment of a 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital", the project will be implemented from January 2026 to December 2029 in Nilphamari Sadar upazila's Darowani area under the Rangpur division.

Of the total project cost, Tk 2,280.07 crore will be financed through external sources, primarily with financial and technical assistance from the Chinese government, while the remaining Tk 179.27 crore will be funded by the Bangladesh government. 

According to Planning Commission officials, the hospital will function as a modern tertiary-level healthcare facility, offering integrated general and specialised medical services. Key specialties will include nephrology, cardiology, oncology and neurology, enabling treatment of complex and long-term diseases.

Briefing reporters after the ECNEC meeting, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud said the project is a strategic initiative aligned with the government's broader plan to decentralise major national institutions.

He said the proposal originated from high-level discussions during the Chief Adviser's visit to China, where the Chinese side expressed interest in supporting the construction of a state-of-the-art hospital in Bangladesh. However, he clarified that the decision to locate the hospital in Nilphamari was made by Bangladesh.