Standard Chartered to set up 3 oxygen plants in 3 districts

Standard Chartered Bangladesh has partnered with Chattogram Maa-Shishu O General Hospital, TMSS and United Trust to set up three oxygen plants to ensure reliable supply of life-saving oxygen at charitable hospitals run by these organisations in Chattogram, Jamalpur and Bogra respectively.

Under the partnership, Standard Chartered has donated three pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants, enabling hospitals run by partner organisations to become self-sufficient with dedicated oxygen supply. The total installed capacity of these plants will exceed 1347 liters/minute, said a media release on Wednesday.

Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bangladesh, said, “Never before have we felt the value of oxygen as keenly as we do today, as we come face-to-face with the stark realities of Covid-19. With the support of our partners, we are determined to ensure that very soon we reach a stage where there is no unnecessary suffering due to the unavailability of oxygen. Right now, we are directing all of our energy in supporting communities and businesses to overcome this current wave. The responsibility lies with each one of us to remain vigilant – together we will emerge from this stronger and more resilient than ever before.”

S M Morshed Hossain, President (Acting) E C, Chattogram Maa-Shishu O General Hospital, said, “The whole world is going through a severe Covid-19 pandemic and Bangladesh is no exception, with the surge of the infection every human life is at stake. The mainstay of management of Covid-19 patients is oxygen for those who are admitted in hospitals. In this regard we would like to express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Standard Charted Bank for coming forward and donating an Oxygen Generation Plant for our Covid-19 Unit, which will help us in a greatly to maintain a continuous supply of Oxygen to Covid-19 affected patients, without any interruption. We respect and acknowledge this great gesture by Standard Chartered for the cause of humanity.”

Professor Dr Hosne-Ara Begum, Founder Executive Director, TMSS, said, “TMSS Medical College & Rafatullah Community Hospital has provided medical services to Covid-19 patients since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. We got the opportunity to provide optimal health care services to the Covid-19 patients with uninterrupted oxygen supply through the oxygen generator plant donated by Standard Chartered Bank. We, TMSS, highly appreciate such effort being rendered by Standard Chartered Bank.”

Brig Gen AJM Fazlur Rahman (Retd), Executive Director, United Trust said, “For the people of far-flung districts of our country, it is inevitable to come all the way to Dhaka to get the quality healthcare services. United Trust, thereby, welcomed Standard Chartered Bangladesh in their noble bid to set up an Oxygen Plant for MA Rashid Hospital in Jamalpur, one of the remotest districts of our country; an excellent endeavour that needs special appreciation.”

The Bank’s commitment to support Bangladesh’s continued journey of prosperity even in the face of the Covid-19 challenge saw the bank secure 25 major international awards in the past year. The bank was also recognised as the international bank with the highest CSR spend in 2020 by Bangladesh Bank. We have also received many other accolades as Best CSR Bank as well. For 2021, Standard Chartered Bangladesh has announced a Tk 135 million strategic Covid-19 response action plan that supports healthcare and immediate assistance, regenerate livelihood and catalyse long-term growth, said the release.