Founded in 1979, the four-storied hospital was designed to provide freedom fighters with healthcare and also treatment for their families at a subsidised rate

The Muktijoddha Complex Fund Committee ran it from 1981-1993 before it was leased out to a non-governmental organisation on January 15, 1994 for ten years.

But that contract was scraped four years later and the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust took over the hospital again on December 29, 1998. However, the hospital has not been functional since.

A committee, headed by the cabinet secretary, formed to finalise the names of freedom fighters decided in a meeting on October 14 that the hospital would be turned into a 50-bed orthopedic facility for all but would provide free treatment to freedom fighters.

"The project is still in a conceptual level," said a high official of the ministry. He informed there would be a meeting soon with the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust, Muktijoddha Sangsad and the Complex Fund Committee to draw the outlines of the project.

"We will discuss about the hospital and offer the Trust and the Muktijoddha Sangsad the opportunity to run it," said the official. He added that the number of hospital beds to be kept reserved for freedom fighters would be fixed later.

When contacted Noafel Miah, managing director of the Muktijodha Kalyan Trust, said that only the Muktijoddha Complex Fund Committee, which is headed by a minister, had legal authority on the hospital.

"We can deal with it only if the committee tells us to," said Miah when asked why the hospital had remained closed for so long.

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Rezaul Karim had told Star City last December that the ministry had invited tenders to lease out the hospital to a private institution. But no suitable candidates apparently emerged as all of the bidders were reportedly inexperienced in hospital management.

"That is why the ministry is now thinking of converting the hospital," said an official. He confirmed that the hospital would be a charity organisation providing free medical facilities to freedom fighters. "It would not help the freedom fighters if the hospital provides treatment even at a low cost as they can not afford that also," he added.

A team of 10 ansars personnel and two officers have been posted at the hospital to look after security as valuable medical equipment have remained stored there. However, sources in the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust were skeptic about the quality of the equipment, which have not been used for a long time.

"Besides, they are quite outdated compared to the latest medical gadgets," said one Kalyan Trust official.

However a concerned official assured that the equipment will be checked and replaced if necessary once the hospital re-opens.