Govt plan to transform Pabna Mental Hospital into ‘international-standard’ institute

The government will fully fund the Tk 13.65 billion project

The government has approved a Tk 13.65 billion project to transform Pabna Mental Hospital into an international-standard mental health institute and hospital.

The approval came at an Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting held on Tuesday, led by Chief Advisor and ECNEC Chairperson Muhammad Yunus.

According to a media statement, the project started in January, and will run until December 2027, with an estimated cost of Tk 13.56 billion, fully funded by the government.

Currently, the hospital offers limited diagnostic facilities beyond X-ray, pathology, ECG and EEG services. It has a handful of single and multi-storey buildings, with insufficient residential facilities and an overall lack of international-standard amenities.

The new project, to be implemented under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to address these deficiencies and upgrade the institution’s facilities.

The ECNEC meeting also approved 12 other projects. Of them, two are new projects, and seven others are revised for cost adjustments.

The approved projects include:

Agriculture ministry: “PRO-ACT Bangladesh: Resilience Strengthening through Agri-Food Systems Transformation in Cox’s Bazar” project costing Tk 530.1 million.

Disaster management and relief ministry: Tk 7.69 billion budget increase for “Sustainable Improvement of Rural Unpaved Roads through Herringbone Bond (HBB) Work”, bringing the total cost to Tk 51.04 billion.

Rural development and cooperatives ministry (3 projects):

• Tk 880 million budget increase for “Khulna Division Rural Infrastructure Development Project”, total now Tk 27.53 billion.

• Tk 451.5 million budget increase for “Renovation of Urban Architecture and Cultural Centre Development in Jamalpur Town”, total now Tk 1.88 billion.

• Tk 15.9 million cost reduction for “Internal Roads, Drains and Footpaths Construction in Zones 1-5 of Gazipur City Corporation”, total now Tk 19.57 billion.

Housing and public works ministry: Tk 4.79 billion budget reduction for “Uttara Lake Development”, total now Tk 907.3 million.

Foreign ministry: Tk 1.14 billion budget increase for “Construction of Bangladesh Chancery Building in Canberra, Australia”, total now Tk 2.61 billion.

Road transport and bridges ministry: Tk 7.29 billion for “Upgradation of Kishoreganj (Binnati)-Pakundia-Mirzapur Tok District Highway”.

Industries ministry: Tk 8.52 billion for “Expansion and Modernisation of BSTI’s Physical and Chemical Testing Laboratories.”

Power Division: Tk 109.4 million cost reduction for “Ghorashal 3rd Unit Re-powering Project”, total now Tk 29.54 billion.

Railways ministry (2 projects):

• Tk 289.5 million budget increase for “Reattachment and Standard Improvement of Level Crossing Gates in Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway”, total now Tk 1.60 billion.

• Tk 288.8 million budget increase for “Reattachment and Standard Improvement of Level Crossing Gates in Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railway”, total now Tk 1.74 billion.