AL to cancel illegal appointments at BSMMU if voted to power : SK Selim

This was stated by Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, former health and family welfare minister and AL presidium member, at a press briefing at the party central office in the city yesterday.

He said there is one doctor for 4,312 people in the country, but there are over 800 doctors for 700 patients at the BSMMU.

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"These additional doctors, all of whom are pro-government, have been appointed without required qualifications and experience," said Sheikh Selim.

"Medical education is now on the verge of ruin," he said, adding that the ruling- party doctors have occupied about 80 per cent seats of post graduation course depriving their meritorious colleagues.

He said there is no major success of the present government in the health sector

except the construction of a hospital in Bogra after the name of late president Ziaur Rahman.

Sheikh Selim also spoke about various projects that the AL government took in the health sector during its regime including development of infrastructure and increase of doctors and hospital beds.

He said the AL government had increased the number of beds to 32,139 from 26,734 and bought a total of 112 ambulances and 139 X-ray machines for hospitals.

"After taking the office, the present government had either cancelled or halted the projects of AL government for their political vengeance," he said demanding immediate resumption of those projects considering the greater interest of the common people.

Criticising the government for suspending the community health project, Sheikh Selim said about 6,000 clinics were set up to provide health facilities in rural areas and another 9,500 clinics were under the process of being set up.

AL leaders Obaidul Kader, Abdur Rahman and Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin were present at the briefing.