National Heart Institute and Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital have cleaners but are not clean

On paper, the list of cleaning staff members is quite long. Every year, hundreds of thousands of taka are allocated from the government budget to pay for their services. But in reality, stepping into a hospital toilet gives the impression that cleaners are present but cleanliness is nowhere to be found.

An on site inspection on October 15 at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital revealed the extreme suffering faced by patients and other service users.

Shahin Hasan nearly vomited when he entered a bathroom out of urgent necessity. He had come to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital for medical purposes. When he desperately searched for a toilet because of severe abdominal pressure, an Ansar member directed him to a narrow alley beside the ticket counter. After walking a few steps, he was hit by a strong foul smell. As he stood at the door and looked inside, he felt nauseated.

Expressing his frustration, Shahin Hasan said, “I never imagined that I would have to use a toilet in such an unhygienic place after coming to a hospital. It is difficult to stay there for even a few minutes because of the foul smell.”

Rashidul Islam, who came from Jamalpur, had a similar experience. When he reached a designated men’s toilet area, he found that two of the three stalls were locked. The only open stall was overflowing with dirty water. Moss had accumulated on the floor along with tissues and piles of garbage. The drain was blocked, leaving no way for the water to flow out.

Holding his nose as he came out, Rashidul said, “I have come to the hospital to get well, but the smell here could make even a healthy person sick! Is there no one here to look after this?”

Hospital sources said that during the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital had records of recruiting 137 staff members through outsourcing, including 50 cleaners. Despite having such extensive logistical support and manpower, frustrated patients and their relatives are questioning why the bathrooms remain in such a deplorable condition.

The scene outside the hospital presents a stark contrast. Workers were seen washing the roads with water to keep them sparkling clean. In other words, while the exterior was kept spotless as a show of cleanliness, there was not the slightest sign of similar supervision in the toilets used by patients and their relatives or around the garbage bins inside.

The same situation at Suhrawardy: cleaner negligence or lack of supervision?

The same situation prevails at the neighboring Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Of the four men’s toilets in the outpatient department, one has been out of order for a long time. The remaining facilities are also completely unfit for use.

Yet official documents show that a tender worth Tk 750,000 was issued during the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year to purchase cleaning supplies, including soap, bleaching powder and handwash. There is also a tender for renovation work.

So why is there no soap? Why do the toilets remain unusable even after renovation?

A cleaner who requested anonymity admitted that lax supervision by the authorities and a lack of initiative were responsible for the situation. However, Sumon Mia, the cleaner in charge at Suhrawardy Hospital, claimed that work was assigned through a roster to cover approximately 300 toilets. Even so, he could offer no specific explanation beyond assurances.

This nominal approach to cleanliness is creating serious health risks. Public health expert Abu Jamil Faisal said the unhygienic bathroom conditions were causing secondary infections among people visiting the hospitals.

He said, “Having only one bathroom for 20 patients in a ward is already inadequate. On top of that, if the bathroom is unclean, waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, jaundice, stomach pain and fever can spread through flies or the air. It is now essential to ensure that cleaners actually do their jobs rather than merely keeping their names on the attendance register.”