The government will construct six specialised hospitals exclusively for workers in major industrial areas across Bangladesh, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced.

The proposed 100-bed hospitals will be built in Ashulia and Savar in Dhaka, Tongi and Kaliakair in Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram. The facilities will provide medical services specifically for workers.

The prime minister announced the plan during a session of the 13th National Parliament on Monday.

On the opening day of the fourth session of the 13th Parliament, following the Maghrib prayer break, newly elected lawmakers delivered speeches. At one stage, BNP lawmaker Shamsur Rahman Biswas Shimul raised concerns about workers from disadvantaged backgrounds who often lack access to healthcare.

He asked the prime minister whether the government planned to establish hospitals for them.

Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, who was presiding over the session, noted that the prime minister was scheduled to answer questions in Parliament on Tuesday but would be abroad on an official visit. He then asked whether Tarique Rahman was prepared to respond to the unscheduled question.

The parliamentary leader stood up and began his response.

Referring to the previous government, Tarique Rahman alleged that its policies had made Bangladesh increasingly dependent on foreign sources for energy, imports and industrial development.

He said the country’s mineral resources had not been properly utilised for its people and that policies had prevented the domestic industrial sector from developing naturally.

The prime minister also accused the previous administration of systematically weakening the country’s healthcare system, including rural medical services.

He said the opposition leader had recently expressed concern about the state of healthcare in Bangladesh. According to Tarique Rahman, the previous government had pursued policies that forced Bangladeshis to seek medical treatment in a particular foreign country.

Announcing the hospital initiative, the prime minister said his government had been elected by the people and was committed to working for people from all professions and social groups.

He said the six 100-bed hospitals would be developed in industrial zones to ensure access to proper medical treatment for workers and labourers.

Tarique Rahman added that the facilities would be specifically named and designed to serve the country’s workforce.