Building a hospital in the CRB area is reckless, self-sabotaging: Ctg Civil Society

The proposed 500-bed hospital in the Chattogram Railway Building (CRB) area is reckless and self-sabotaging, said Chattogram Civil Society.

With a press briefing on Tuesday at Chattogram Press Club, the society, in a written statement, said the building project by the railway authorities will destroy an integral part of the history, heritage, and culture of Chattogram, and threaten the natural environment of the area.

The press briefing was chaired by Sociologist Dr Anupam Sen, who won the Ekushey Padak in 2014 and serves as chairman of  Chattogram Civil Society.

Dr Anupam Sen requested the intervention of the prime minister in saving the pocket of green in the CRB area.

He said, "Building a hospital is certainly important but not at the cost of nature…not by destroying CRB."

The written statement from Chattogram Civil Society was read out during the briefing by the member secretary of the society, Advocate Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul.

According to the written statement, there are 197 plant species in CRB with at least nine endangered trees, as per research conducted by Effective Creation on Human Opinion (Eco), a private development agency, and the hospital project will destroy the natural habitat for the trees and animals who are closely dependent on the resources provided by the trees.

Chattogram Civil Society said the activities of the hospital being built will be greatly hampered too, as the CRB is the cultural hub of Chattogram and hosts various events throughout the year.

The press briefing was attended by Co-Chairman of Chattogram Civil Society, freedom fighter and researcher Mahfuzur Rahman, cultural organiser and politician, Mofizur Rahman, Professor Hossain Kabir, and environmental scientist Dr Idris Ali, among others.