"You can remove negative notions of the people by forging a bridge between doctors, nurses and the patients," she told the health professionals at a function to inaugurate Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital here.

The medical college and the 500-bed hospital have been built on 40 acres of land at a cost of more than Tk 234 crore. The medical college includes an academic building, two hostels for students and two hostels for interns.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Housing and Public Works Minister Mirza Abbas, State Minister for Health Mizanur Rahman Sinha, Jatiya Sangsad Whip Rezaul Bari Dina, Health Secretary AKM Zafrullah Khan, Principal of Ziaur Rahman Medical College Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir and Bogra BNP President Rezaul Karim Badsha also addressed the function.

Ministers, MPs, political leaders, senior civil and military officials and the local elite, among others, were present.

The PM said construction of buildings and procurement of equipment are not the last word. The main thing is how the facilities are being utilised in public services, she added.

After formal inauguration of Ziaur Rahman Medical College, the Prime Minister announced that post-graduate courses would be introduced in the college as early as possible. The number of beds in the hospital would also be increased, she said.

She hoped that the new institution after the name of Ziaur Rahman in his home district would be able to uphold the significance of his name.

The medical college and hospital have been set up in Bogra as part of the government's development efforts in healthcare and medical education sector, she said and added an asthma center and a diabetic centre would also be set up in Bogra.

The present government is working relentlessly to meet the basic demands of the people in light of the 19-point programme of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.

The Prime Minister recalled that Shaheed Zia had established new medical colleges in a number of districts, including Bogra. But the activities stopped after his martyrdom, she added.

She focussed on some of her government's successes in health sector, including an increase in the number of hospitals and hospital beds, providing the hospitals with modern equipment and ambulances, recruiting new doctors and nurses, enhancing sanitation facilities, vaccination against deadly diseases and improvement of life expectancy.