BMU Super Specialized Hospital nears full operation

Photo - Collected

Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) Super Specialized Hospital is expected to become fully operational within the next two to three months. The authorities also plan to introduce a one-stop emergency service, following the model of Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth and Thailand’s Bumrungrad International hospitals.

The hospital will be operated under a private limited company aimed at making specialised healthcare more accessible and effective through coordination between the public and private sectors.

A separate board of directors will be formed soon. Appointed staff members will not be permitted to engage in private practice.

Under the proposed structure, the BMU Vice-Chancellor will serve as the chairman of the company, while a pro-vice-chancellor is expected to be assigned as managing director.

A person experienced in managing corporate hospitals will also be appointed as chief executive officer (CEO) from outside the university.

Security, cleaning and other support services will be outsourced to competent organisations through competitive tenders.

Existing BMU doctors and nurses will not work at the hospital.

Qualified doctors, nurses and other personnel will be recruited from outside the university on a contractual basis through competitive examinations.

Existing government employees will also be able to join the hospital after leaving their government jobs.

The authorities are also considering prohibiting doctors from engaging in private practice outside the hospital. In return, they plan to offer competitive salaries and other financial benefits.

BMU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Md Abul Kalam Azad told state news agency BSS that the university's syndicate meeting will be held on October 8, after which the CEO will be appointed as soon as possible.

"We will launch the Super Specialized Hospital as soon as possible. However, it has to be done in phases as many things need to be renovated. We want to complete everything following the rules," he said.

According to BMU officials, the university will hold a 90 percent stake in the private limited company, while the government will own the remaining 10 percent.

The corporate structure is intended to ensure administrative and financial autonomy and facilitate recruitment of qualified doctors by offering competitive salaries.

The officials expressed hope that the hospital would help reduce the tendency of patients to travel abroad for specialised treatment.

The Bangladesh Medical University (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed by parliament on July 13 to facilitate management of the Super Specialized Hospital and expand medical education, research and healthcare services.

The hospital has five specialised centres-Cardio and Cerebro Vascular, Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplant, Mother and Child Health Care, Kidney Disease and Urology, and Accident and Emergency.

The 750-bed hospital also has 14 operating theatres, a 100-bed ICU, a 100-bed emergency unit, six VVIP cabins, 22 VIP cabins and 25 deluxe cabins.

Built at a cost of Tk 1,868 crore, the hospital was inaugurated in September 2022.