Pabna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) has- been lying in abandoned condition for long 20 years much to the frustration of the peo-

ple of Pabna.

PMCH was established in 1979 on the land of Pabna Mental Hospital premises, 3-km south from the district headquarters and Director of the Mental Hospital was

appointed principal of the college.

Over 200 students were admitted into the college in two batches, but they were shifted to the country's other medical' colleges as the then military government stopped its functioning in 1982,

After rhe closure, the people of Pabna had protested on several occasions and demanded to reopen the college, but their demand was unheeded.

The then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and President Abdur Rahman Biswas assured the people in 1991 that necessary arrangements would be taken soon to reopen the college.

During her regime former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a number of public meetings, gave similar assurances to reopen the college.

There is no full-fledged hospital in Pabna for over 23 lakh people.The 100-bed Pabna General Hospital cannot cope with huge patients as over 500 patients on average come to the hospital to get treatment, hospital sources said.

Besides the two building constructed for the college, huge quantum of bricks bought for construction purpose have been Icing abandoned in the mental hospital premises, local elite alleged.

The people urged die government to take immediate steps to reopen the college without further delay.