Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today paid surprise visits to 13 establishments including schools, hospitals, residential areas and public spaces in the capital to assess the cleanliness and overall managements of the institutions.
During his four and half hours long visits beginning from 9:10am, he went to Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital in Uttara, Rajuk Uttara Model College, Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College, National Heart Foundation, Paikpara Staff Quarters, Government Bangla College, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital in Agargaon.
The Prime Minister also visited his former educational institution Dhaka Residential Model College in the city’s Mohammadpur area.
Apart from these, he visited Dhanmondi Government Boys' High School, Kalabagan Staff Quarters and Azimpur Government Officers and Employees' Residential Quarters and the footpaths in Mirpur-10 that had been cleared of hawker encroachment.
During the visits, he talked to officials, students, patients, residents and pedestrians and people to assess the conditions at different establishments.
While visiting Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, the Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital's cleanliness and overall management and gave the authorities seven days to improve the situation.
He spoke to patients about their treatment and inspected different departments, including the intensive care unit (ICU) and operation theatres.
At Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, the Prime Minister found Associate Professor Rafiqul Islam smoking in his unhygienic room and instructed the hospital chairman to take action against him. The physician was later temporarily suspended.
At Azimpur government residential quarters, the Prime Minister expressed strong displeasure over the unhygienic environment and gave the authorities two weeks to ensure visible improvements in cleanliness and make the residential area habitable.
Residents also raised complaints about the area's unhygienic conditions and law and order situation. The Prime Minister listened to their concerns and asked the authorities concerned to take necessary measures to address the issues.
During his visit to the footpaths in Mirpur-10, Tarique Rahman asked pedestrians whether the removal of hawkers had made their movement easier and whether they were still facing difficulties.
He stressed the need to keep footpaths free from encroachment and ensure unobstructed movement for pedestrians.
The Prime Minister addressed students and members of the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) and Scouts at Government Bangla College and urged them to take an active role in building a clean and healthy Bangladesh and planting more trees.
He emphasised that keeping homes, educational institutions and surrounding areas clean was essential to preventing dengue and protecting public health, calling for collective efforts to ensure a clean and liveable environment for future generations.
Throughout the visits, the Prime Minister stressed the need for responsible performance of duties by officials and effective measures to improve public services, cleanliness, healthcare and the overall management of public institutions.
State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton and Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam accompanied the Prime Minister during his visits.