Jalalabad Association, a platform of Sylheti people living in Dhaka, called upon the government to build Sylhet District Hospital in another place instead of the venue of a historic building. The building must be preserved as a heritage site, said leaders of the association.
A delegation of Jalalabad Association on Friday visited the venue of historic building ‘Abu Sina Hostel’ in Sylhet city in a bid to protect it from demolition.
Led by president of the association and former secretary Dr AK Abdul Mobin, the members of the delegation include former president CM Tofayel Sami, president of Jalalabad Heritage Preservation Committee and former secretary Sohel Ahmed Chowdhury, vice president of Jalalabad Association Qaiyyum Chowdhury, treasurer Emam Mehedi Chowdhury Enam and joint secretary Fahima Chowdhury Moni.
The leaders of the platform also joined a seminar held at Kendriyo Muslim Sahitya Sangsad in Sylhet city. Adviser to the former caretaker government Advocate Sultana Kamal and others spoke at the seminar. Speakers of the seminar said that the historic building of Abu Sina Hospital must be save from demolition.
The over 150-year old historic building is located at Chowhatta area in Sylhet city. The dormitory for male student of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College is a symbol of the iconic Assam pattern houses of the region. The authorities concerned decided to demolish the building to build the 250-bed Sylhet District Hospital.
The bulldozing process in the building had begun. Later, it was stopped through the invention of former finance minister AMA Muhith following protest by different organisations, inducing Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (BAPA) and Save the Heritage and Environment.
Chief coordinator of Save the Heritage and Environment Abdul Hye Al-Hadi said that there is no museum in Sylhet city, so the historic building can be a lucrative spot for that.
“We welcome the decision of government to build a 250-bed hospital.
We urge to build the hospital in another place as the historic building should be preserved as archeological site.” Abdul Hye Al-Hadi thanked the leaders of Jalalabad Association for visiting the venue and taking initiative to save the building.
