Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday directed authorities to immediately inspect and take steps to open six unused hospital buildings across six districts.

The directive followed a report published in the daily Prothom Alo on April 12, 2026, titled “Six children's hospital buildings lying unused despite Tk 320 crore investment.”

The report said that hospital buildings in Rajshahi Shishu Hospital, Khulna Divisional Shishu Hospital, Rangpur Shishu Hospital, Barishal Shishu Hospital, Cumilla Shishu Hospital, and Sylhet District Hospital have remained unused for years.

In response, the prime minister convened an emergency meeting with Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain, State Minister Dr MA Muhith, Health Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, and senior officials.

He instructed immediate inspection of the facilities and steps to make them operational, with a progress report due by June 2, 2026.

The prime minister also directed that Kushtia Medical College Hospital, currently partially operational, be fully activated as a 500-bed facility. He ordered expedited work on other healthcare projects, including the Super Specialised Hospital under Bangladesh Medical University in Shahbagh, Dhaka.

Additionally, he called for fast-track implementation of the 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital in Nilphamari, to be coordinated with the Chinese Embassy through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.