Chandpur Correspondent:

A state-of-the-art floating hospital dedicated to providing free healthcare to the underprivileged communities of Chandpur’s remote char areas, has started operation.

Health Services Division Secretary Md Saidur Rahman inaugurated the facility named after King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia at a char on the western bank of the Meghna River in Haimchar upazila recently.

The innovative hospital designed to navigate the riverine terrain will deliver free medical services including primary care, diagnostics, and even surgeries, to thousands of residents who have long struggled to access proper healthcare.

Speaking at the inauguration event, Md Saidur Rahman said, “The people living in these isolated chars face immense difficulties in reaching hospitals. This floating facility will bridge that gap ensuring they receive the treatment they deserve.”

Many char areas in Chandpur remain disconnected from the mainland, forcing residents to undertake perilous boat journeys during medical emergencies.

For them, the floating hospital is nothing short of a miracle.

Operated by the NGO Friendship, the hospital has already begun transforming lives.

Bilkis Begum, a local resident who recently underwent free eye surgery, shared her relief: “Before, we had to risk our lives crossing the Meghna during storms just to reach a hospital—only if we could afford it. Now, treatment is at our doorstep, and it’s free.”

With this floating hospital now operational, the dream of accessible healthcare for Chandpur’s deprived communities has finally become a reality, said Abdullah, a resident of Haumchar.

Runa Khan, founder of Friendship, said the hospital treats 150-200 patients daily with a dedicated team of seven doctors and 32 medical staff.

The project aims to serve 32 lakh people in Haimchar and nearby regions, she said.

Prof Dr Md Abu Zafar, DG of Health Services, Soleiman Abdulaziz, CEO of King Abdullah Humanitarian Foundation, Mohammad Mohsin Uddin, Chandpur Deputy Commissioner, Muhammad Abdur Rokib, Superintendent of Police, a delegation from the Saudi government attended the event.