Govt Approves 1,000-Bed Bangladesh–China Hospital in Nilphamari

The government on Tuesday approved a major healthcare infrastructure project worth Tk 2,459.34 crore to establish a 1,000-bed Bangladesh–China Friendship General Hospital in Nilphamari, aiming to expand access to modern medical services in northern Bangladesh.

The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) as part of the government’s broader plan to decentralise specialised healthcare and ease mounting pressure on hospitals in Dhaka and Rangpur.

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

Of the total estimated cost, Tk 179.27 crore will be financed from government funds, while Tk 2,280.07 crore will come from external sources, primarily through financial and technical assistance from the Chinese government.

Planning Commission officials said the hospital is designed to provide integrated general and specialised healthcare services, including nephrology, cardiology, oncology and neurology, enabling effective treatment of complex and long-term diseases.

Briefing reporters after the ECNEC meeting, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud described the project as a strategic and timely initiative. He said the proposal stemmed from high-level discussions during the Chief Adviser’s recent visit to China, where Beijing expressed interest in supporting the construction of a state-of-the-art hospital in Bangladesh.

Dr Mahmud stressed that the decision to locate the hospital in Nilphamari was taken by Bangladesh as part of its decentralisation strategy. “If we want real decentralisation, large and advanced institutions—whether universities, hospitals or technology centres—must be established outside Dhaka,” he said.

He noted that Nilphamari’s location in the poverty-prone Rangpur region, along with its proximity to Syedpur Airport, made it a suitable choice. Given the hospital’s planned standard, authorities expect it could also attract patients from neighbouring countries.

The hospital will feature modern emergency facilities, ICU, CCU and HDU units, advanced diagnostic services and state-of-the-art operation theatres. It will also support medical research, training and human resource development, strengthening the country’s overall healthcare capacity.

Key components of the project include a 10-storey main hospital building, residential facilities for doctors and staff, nurses’ dormitories, a mosque, kitchen, waste management plant, helipad, automated ambulance system and power and gas facilities.

Officials said Nilphamari, with a population of about 2.1 million, currently relies on limited healthcare facilities, forcing critically ill patients to travel to Rangpur or Dhaka for specialised treatment. The new hospital is expected to significantly reduce regional disparities in healthcare access and ensure timely, life-saving services for millions in northern Bangladesh.