The government has taken the step of setting Bangamata National Cellular and Molecular Research Center at cost of Tk1,500 crore, aiming to raise the standard of health research.
Though the construction work is yet to begin at Mohakhali in the capital after six years of project approval, authority bought 129 machineries in exchange of Tk15 crore.
Six project directors have been changed during the time, the health division has still not been able to vacate the laboratory space, and the slum is still there.
It was known that the project got approval in 2018, and its work was supposed to be started in 2019, and completed by June 2023.
Later, the project which is being implemented under the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) period has been extended several times and taken to the current year.
The previous project directors were more focused on purchasing equipment than on the progress of the project. Although the construction work has not started, the purchasing has not stopped.
An interim laboratory has been built on the eighth floor of the BMRC building in Mohakhali at a cost of Tk14.72 crore. Some 129 equipment have been purchased in seven units of the laboratory as decided in the 281st meeting of the BMRC.
The units include - Cell Culture Facility Unit, Molecular Biology (DNA, RNA) Unit, Molecular Biology (Protein) Unit, Analytical Laboratory Unit, Histopathology Unit, Advanced Facility Unit and Microbiology Unit.
So far, only two studies have been conducted. The valuable equipment of the laboratory has been locked since June 2023. However, BMRC is taking new initiatives to advance the project by launching this laboratory.
In this regard, BMRC Chairman Professor Dr Sayeba Akhter told Bangladesh Pratidin: “The laboratory was operational limitedly. If these are destroyed, it will be a loss to the people.”
“That is why the government has decided to activate these equipment and make them usable and launch the lab,” she continued adding: “A committee has been formed with experts for this.”
She stressed that there was no other manpower in this lab except the project director and ensured of hiring manpower to manage the work.
“In order to activate the lab and put it to use, a plan has been made to encourage research-oriented institutions to conduct research here.”
According to BMRC sources, “The project was taken to build a laboratory with all the facilities of international standards in medical biotechnology. There was a plan to create the capacity to diagnose infectious and non-infectious diseases using biotechnology and molecular biology in this laboratory.
In addition to providing state-of-the-art medical services, this project was taken to gain recognition in the country and abroad through medical research. But this project has only been stuck in the trap of purchasing equipment, the source continued.
In this regard, medical scientist and educationist Professor Dr Mohammad Liaquat Ali said: “The setting of the laboratory should have been carried out by advancing, manpower should have been recruited and then equipment should have been purchased.”
Now, to take the initiative to start the laboratory, the project proposal needs to be re-evaluated. For this, the plan should be scrutinized and selected with the opinions of the relevant experts and the project should be implemented as soon as possible, he continued.
Translated by Afsar Munna
