Popular place for drug addicts, peddlers

Barisal General Hospital, one of the oldest hospitals in Southern Bangladesh, has become a popular site for drug peddlers and addicts at nighttime.

This 100-odd years old hospital in Barisal city serves about 500 patients daily.

However, due to negligence and lack of care, the hospital premises, during the night, is used by peddlers and addicts for trading drugs, an activity which is facilitated by frequent load shedding and a faulty generator.

Patients and hospital staff have to make do with candles and hurricanes to pass the night, and hope that no emergency arises. 

Visiting the hospital, The Daily Star found people smoking in front of patients, and peddlers trading drugs mostly Yaba and Phensedyl.

A patient at the hospital's gynaecology ward, Khodeza Khatun, said she has been at the hospital for about a week, and she dreads when night comes as more often than not there would be no electricity and candles would be the only source of light.

Momena, another patient, said, “The hospital courtyard becomes a place for gossip during the night and many patients feel uncomfortable, and so they do not want to stay long at the hospital.” 

Dr Delwar Hossain, the resident medical officer, said, “The generator has been out of order since it was installed in 1996.”

“There is no guard or gatekeeper at the hospital,” he said, adding that it is why they cannot control drug abusers and peddlers from occupying the hospital premises. 

Kamrul Hasan Selim, the hospital's director, said they have repeatedly informed the authorities concerned of the out of order generator, but no step has been taken to fix it or replace it.

He urged the government to intervene and save the hospital.

Barisal General Hospital was built on a three-acre land in 1910. Later on, with financial assistance from individuals, several wards and an operation theatre was built. At present, the 100-bed hospital runs under the authority of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.