Eight senior officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways are set to travel to the United States to receive advanced training in the management of central air conditioning systems, commonly referred to as HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems. The visit has been finalised for 15 March after being postponed three times, with the official programme titled “HVAC System Training.”
According to a report by the news outlet Kalbela, the primary objective of the trip is to equip government officials with the knowledge and skills necessary for operating, maintaining, and managing modern HVAC systems efficiently. The delegation will include the department’s project director, ensuring representation at the highest administrative and technical levels.
However, the visit has sparked debate regarding both its necessity and the associated costs. The project’s budget has already escalated twice—from 2,388 crore taka to 3,443 crore taka. Meanwhile, a report by the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Design (IMED) indicates that most HVAC installations under the project are nearing completion.
Notably, none of the officials attending the US training are directly involved in hospital construction or post-construction maintenance. Additionally, Ashraful Haque, the Additional Chief Engineer (E/M), is due to retire within a few months, raising questions about the timing and practical benefits of the training.
The expenses of the trip will be covered by Dunham-Bush, a US-based global supplier of chillers and HVAC systems, which has installed central air conditioning in multiple government and private projects across Bangladesh, including several major shopping malls. While sponsorship by the supplier ensures financial coverage, critics argue that it may create a perceived conflict of interest, potentially inviting scrutiny over the quality of future installations.
Officials Participating in the Training
| S/N | Official Name | Designation/Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashraful Haque | Additional Chief Engineer (E/M), Department of Public Works |
| 2 | Kazi Md. Firoz Hossain | Additional Chief Engineer (Civil), Department of Public Works |
| 3 | Dr. Md. Tawfiq Hasan Firoz | Project Director |
| 4 | Dr. Md. Ashraful Islam | Supervising Engineer, Department of Public Works |
| 5 | Md. Nazmul Alam | Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Public Works |
| 6 | Raju Ahmed | Executive Engineer |
| 7 | Siddika Nasrin Sultana | Executive Architect |
| 8 | Risalat Bari | Sub-Divisional Engineer |
Analysts note that while US-based HVAC training could significantly enhance the officials’ technical competence, there appears to be a lack of alignment between the project’s immediate requirements and the escalating expenditure. This disconnect has generated public scrutiny and debate over the visit.
If conducted effectively, however, the training could provide officials with critical expertise in modern air conditioning systems, which may ultimately improve the operation and maintenance of government hospitals and other large-scale infrastructure projects.