Play store
The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) has fined Ibn Sina Hospital and the owner of its building Tk 4 million for failing to improve parking facilities despite repeated warnings.
The hospital authorities and the building owner were each fined Tk 2 million. In a separate action during the same drive, Khan Brothers Petrol Pump, adjacent to the hospital, was fined Tk 200,000.
The fines were imposed on Wednesday evening by a mobile court led by the CDA’s Authorised Officer-1 and a special metropolitan magistrate. According to the CDA, the action was taken over inadequate parking management and failure to comply with its directives.
The authority has launched a special initiative to ease traffic congestion along the route from Mehedibagh through Prabartak to Mirzapol, an area with several hospitals and diagnostic centres. As part of the initiative, the CDA has inspected healthcare facilities and instructed them to improve parking arrangements and make necessary infrastructural changes.
On August 6, CDA Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain visited Ibn Sina Hospital and directed the authorities to address deficiencies in its parking system. On September 10, the authority held a meeting with representatives of 26 hospitals and diagnostic centres, along with relevant service agencies, to discuss measures to resolve parking problems and reduce congestion.
However, more than two months after the initial inspection, the CDA found no significant improvement in the hospital’s parking arrangements. The chairman revisited the facility on October 13 and expressed dissatisfaction with the situation.
The mobile court imposed the fines the following day.
Speaking to media, CDA Chairman Belayet Hossain said the law applies equally to everyone and that patients and members of the public should not have to face traffic congestion because of parking problems when visiting hospitals and diagnostic centres.
He warned that legal action would continue against institutions that fail to make the required changes despite repeated warnings.
The CDA will continue its efforts to bring discipline to parking management and ease traffic congestion in the city, he added, urging the institutions concerned to act responsibly.
