IT IS unfortunate that we continue to lag behind in professional and technical education even after four decades of independence. Bangladesh needs thousands of physicians to take quality healthcare services to the doorsteps of the common man. The country also needs professionals that it can send on overseas employment and thus boost its foreign currency earning. We need professional and technical manpower to implement various development programmes. At seminars and symposia, in television talk-shows, in newspaper editorials and comments, different quarters have called for expansion of facilities at educational institutions to impart professional and technical education; however, not much progress has been made to this end thus far.
A 500-bed hospital has been under construction at Mugda in the capital Dhaka for the past seven years. There is no doubt that the hospital, when put into operation, will be a welcome addition to public-sector healthcare services. In view of the fact that shortage of medical colleges is one of the reasons for the dearth of qualified medical practitioners, the government needs to consider establishment of a medical college in the hospital compound.
Md Ashraf Hossain
Central Bashabo, Dhaka