Residents of Tangail district, home to over four million people, are being deprived of critical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services due to the absence of functional ICUs in the region’s two major government hospitals – Tangail Medical College Hospital and the 250-bed Tangail General Hospital.
Although the General Hospital has an ICU room, it remains non-operational due to a shortage of doctors and nurses. Meanwhile, since its establishment in 2014, Tangail Medical College Hospital has yet to introduce any ICU facilities. Consequently, patients in critical condition have no choice but to be referred to hospitals in Dhaka, often at great financial and physical cost. Many die en route due to delays in receiving proper care.
On average, over 300 patients are admitted to the 250-bed General Hospital daily, despite a shortage of medical staff and essential equipment. Of the 58 approved posts for doctors, 12 remain vacant. In addition, there are vacancies for 17 nurses, 3 paramedics, 3 second- and third-class staff, and 30 fourth-class workers, making hospital operations increasingly difficult.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a 10-bed ICU was briefly operational on the hospital’s second floor, offering life-saving support to many critical patients. However, the service was discontinued once the pandemic subsided, and the facility now lies idle. Critically ill patients are routinely referred to Dhaka, increasing both the financial burden on families and the risk to patients’ lives.
Recent cases illustrate the dire situation. Khokon Mia from Jadurpara village in Kalihati suffered serious injuries in a motorbike accident, and Anwar Hossain from Nagarpur experienced a brain haemorrhage. Both were referred to Dhaka after initial treatment at Tangail General Hospital. Similarly, frequent road accidents on the North Bengal Highway, especially from Elenga to Jamuna Bridge, leave many severely injured patients with no access to ICU care locally.
According to Asad Mia, General Secretary of the Tangail Ambulance Owners Association, at least 7–8 ambulances transport critical patients to various Dhaka hospitals, including Dhaka Medical College, National Heart Institute, National Institute of Neurosciences, and the Orthopaedic Hospital, every day. Even more patients make the journey via private transport.
Advocate Khan Mohammad Khaled, President of SHUJAN (Citizens for Good Governance), Tangail district branch, stated that with 12 upazilas and over four million people, ICU services are an essential need. He expressed deep concern that patients are being routinely referred to Dhaka due to the lack of local ICU facilities and urged the authorities to take immediate action.
Dr Khondaker Sadikur Rahman, Superintendent of Tangail General Hospital, said that the 10-bed ICU is fully equipped and ready, but a lack of staff prevents it from operating. To launch the service, the hospital requires one anaesthetist, one medical officer, three nurses, two medical technologists, three ward boys, two ayas, and four cleaners. Requests for staff and additional equipment have been submitted to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and services can commence once the requirements are met.
Dr Abdul Kuddus, Director of Tangail Medical College Hospital, added that due to infrastructure and staffing limitations, no ICU service is available at the Medical College Hospital either. Every day, over 200 patients are admitted and around 1,000 receive outpatient treatment. On average, at least 12 patients are referred to Dhaka daily for advanced care. He stressed that launching ICU services in Tangail is essential to ensure healthcare reaches the people who need it most.
