The Bangladeshi government will establish 100-bed cancer hospitals in association with its other hospitals in all divisions except Dhaka, reports The Daily Star.
This is an ambitious project, and a massive expansion of Bangladesh's existing health-based infrastructure.
Although a poorer country than Pakistan, Bangladesh has rapidly outpaced Pakistan's human development growth, with especially better rates of literacy and a massive improvement in gender parity - a remarkable feat even in terms of the rest of South Asia.
However, such moves may also seek to divert attention from Sheikh Hasina's harsh turn, whose ruling government has adopted an authoritarian stance against opposition politicians, especially those affiliated with Khaleda Zia's National Party.
The minister who announced the project also said that a total of eight projects, including the cancer hospital, were approved with an overall estimated cost of Tk 8,968.08 crore.
“Of the total project cost, Taka 8,952.89 crore will come from the Government of Bangladesh and the rest from inner income of the intuitions,” he said.