Dhaka: The Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs has given its initial approval to withdraw the 250-bed ‘New Modern Medical College and Hospital’ project, planned for unused land in Khulna, from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) list. This decision emerged during a meeting chaired by Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat.

According to United News of Bangladesh, officials from the Cabinet Division revealed that the Ministry of Railways proposed the withdrawal. The project was originally intended to be executed by Bangladesh Railway to alleviate the shortage of modern medical education and healthcare services in the south-western region of Bangladesh.

The planned project was to be situated in Khulna, the country’s third-largest economic hub. It had a projected capital cost of between US$80-100 million and had been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on August 14, 2013.

The initial proposal included plans for a medical college offering 50 seats and a 250-bed modern hospital, with an implementation timeline set for 2013-2017.