The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a project to establish a 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital in Nilphamari. The meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, endorsed the plan to be implemented from January 2026 to December 2029 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The project, costing Tk 2,459.35 crore, will be financed by Tk 179.27 crore from the Bangladesh government and the rest through Chinese grant assistance.

The initiative follows Professor Yunus’s request to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to China in March of the previous year. The hospital will include a ten-story main building, dormitories, residential quarters, and modern medical equipment. It will provide specialized services in nephrology, cardiology, oncology, and neurology, along with advanced emergency, ICU, CCU, and diagnostic facilities.

According to the Chief Adviser, the hospital represents a strategic investment to decentralize healthcare and reduce pressure on Dhaka and Rangpur hospitals. It is expected to create thousands of jobs and serve patients from neighboring countries such as Nepal and Bhutan, strengthening Bangladesh’s role as a regional healthcare hub.