Dhaka Medical College (Dhamek) Hospital occupied by extortionists, tenderers and brokers. Starting from the patients, the doctors and staff are also being harassed constantly. Medical services are being disrupted.
There are complaints that the concerned authorities are aware of various irregularities but they are not taking effective action. This has made those involved in irregularities even more reckless.
The violence of the extortionist gang is at its peak
Established in 1946, Dhaka Medical College Hospital is the largest government hospital in the country. Every day thousands of people flock here from different parts of the country hoping for good service at relatively low cost. But the service aspirants have to be disappointed due to various irregularities.
An extortion circle has developed in Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Some former students and doctors are involved. Some former leaders of Chhatra Dal, the student body of BNP, are conniving with them. They are openly entering the hospital director’s office, soliciting tenders, threatening the deputy director on WhatsApp and forcibly sending patients to their own diagnostic center attached to the hospital.
In these incidents, the former vice-president of the Central Parliament of Chhatra Dal and the former president of DMK Chhatra Dal. Javed Ahmed, the former health affairs secretary of Chhatra Dal. Mahmudul Hasan Khan Sumon, former senior vice president of DMK Chhatra Dal. Biplab, the former vice-president of Chhatra Dal, Maruf Hasan Roni, joint convener of Titumir College Branch Chhatra Dal. The names of Masud and Chowkbazar Thana Jatiyatabadi Tarun Dal General Secretary Mejbuddin Sifat have come up. Two intelligence agencies of the government have submitted reports about them to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Doctors have to pay subscription every month
Former vice-president (VP) of Dhaka Medical College Student Council. Several doctors have alleged that Javed collects monthly fees from doctors at various levels of the hospital in the name of party funds. Out of this, medical officers have to pay Rs 1,000 and resident doctors/resident surgeons have to pay Rs 1,500 monthly as subscription.
On the condition of anonymity, two doctors of Dhaka Medical told Jago News that if they did not pay the subscription by the 7th of every month, they were threatened and humiliated in various ways. Later, the BNP-supported doctors’ organization Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) wrote a letter to the pad of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital branch. In that letter, strict instructions were given to refrain from giving and receiving such contributions. Later many doctors stopped paying the subscription. But some doctors are still paying regularly due to the fear of humiliation.
However, Dr. denied the matter of extortion. Javed Ahmed. Jago News has confirmed that he is a BCS police cadre from a notification source of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Reckless in tendering
According to the report of the intelligence agency, Dr. Javed and Dr. Suman entered the director’s room of Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 2 pm on March 15 and lobbied to give tenders on behalf of their preferred institutions. When the director disagreed with the unfair lobbying, they left dejected.
Then on March 26, the deputy director of the hospital. Dr. Ashraful Islam on WhatsApp. Javed lobbied to help their preferred organization to tender. When the deputy director disagreed, Dr. threatened him. Javed.
As per the rules, in e-Government Procurement (e-GP) the organizations will submit the tenders with their bids. But Dr. abnormally. Javed and others repeatedly pressured the Dhaka Medical Administration to give tenders to institutions that are relatively far away.
Diagnostic Syndicate
A diagnostic center named ‘Prime TG’ was established in Chankharpool area adjacent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 last year in a student uprising. Dr. Javed, Dr. Suman, Dr. Some people including Monir are involved with this diagnostic center. Allegedly, their agents entered the hospital and beat agents of other clinics, threatened doctors and nurses, and even forced patients to undergo examinations at Prime TG.
Meanwhile, apart from Prime TG, several other diagnostic center agents are active in Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Notable among these are Revive, Dhaka Diagnostic and Health Aid. The agents of these institutions forced the patients to undergo various tests with additional fees.
Zubair, Durjoy, Nirab, Suman, Mahbub, Shamim, Masood Rana and Manik Mia (from top left) work on transferring patients to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Photo: Collected
Active brokers
Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s Gynecology Department (Ward No. 212) and Emergency Department’s Neurosurgery and Surgery Outdoors have now become the main hangout for brokers.
Intelligence agency reports have named at least 19 active brokers. They are Zubair, Durjoy, Nirab, Suman (Hosseini Dalan), Mahbub, Shamim, Masood Rana, Manik Mia, Didar, Shaheen, Roni, Zobel Jamaddar, Maruf, Palak, Parvez, Humayun Kabir Nayan, Mostakim, Supan and Suman (Hazaribagh). Some of them work as agents of Prime TG, Revive, Health Aid or Dhaka Diagnostic Center.
Allegations of misleading patients, charging extra fees, assaulting agents of other diagnostic centers, misbehaving with hospital staff and even using political identities to dominate these gang members are alleged.
Dr. Javed Ahmed told Jago News, ‘I am not involved in any extortion or tender anywhere. Neither owned by Prime TG nor any diagnostic center. You can search. The opposition is spreading these false information in front of the DAB committee.’
Didar, Shaheen, Roni, Zobel Jamaddar, Maruf, Palak, Parvez and Suman (from top left) work on transferring patients to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Photo: Collected
The former leader of the Chhatra Dal about involvement in the tender. Mahmudul Hasan Khan Sumon, Dr. Biplab, Maruf Hasan Roni and Md. Masud and Tarun party leader Mejbuddin Sifat were called several times on their mobile phones but they did not speak.
Silent role of administration
Although the director and deputy director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital have been threatened several times, no effective action has been taken yet. Hospital officials and doctors are suffering from insecurity. The intelligence agency reported the matter to the higher officials but no action was taken.
A senior official of Dhaka Medical said on the condition of anonymity, ‘We are constantly under pressure against tenders and brokers. Although the matter was reported to the law enforcement forces, they showed reluctance to enter the hospital area.’
Dhaka Medical College Hospital director Brigadier General Md. Asaduzzaman told Jago News, “Stakeholders have also come to me several times. They said – ‘We were deprived in the past, we did not get any tender, we came about that.’ I made it clear right away—there is no direct tendering involved. We tender from e-GP. If you get it from e-GP you will also get it. Since then they have not come to me. But bully my staff—I know that. Besides, they forced doctors to send patients to various diagnostic centers. But he took money from doctors—this was not known before. No one has formally complained to me about this so far.’
Dr. in the case of taking money from doctors. Regarding Javed, hospital director Asaduzzaman said, ‘When he (Dr. Javed) was asked whether he is a doctor here or not, he clearly said – he is not an official or employee of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. His name is not registered in any profession here.’
Dr. Dr. DAB president about Javed. Harun Al Rashid told Jago News, ‘I know him. Member of our DAB. He is not involved in extortion or tender control. This is the first time I have heard such a complaint. But if he joins the police cadre, we have no chance to stay here.’
DAB Secretary General Dr. Zahirul Islam Shakeel told Jago News, ‘I am not aware of such allegations. If someone complains, I will take action.’
What to do to overcome the problem
Those concerned say that the patients in Dhaka Medical are being harassed by brokers instead of fair treatment and proper examination. Doctors and nurses are also not able to perform their duties normally. There is fear of wastage of government money and supply of low quality medical supplies due to tendering.
The intelligence agency has highlighted in their recommendation that the operation should be conducted in Dhaka Medical College Hospital in coordination with law enforcement and army. The list of active brokers should be published and they should be arrested and prosecuted. Organizational measures should be taken against those who are involved in such irregularities in the identity of political parties.
Those concerned say that common people are the most affected by the violence of moneylenders in Dhaka Medical College Hospital. If the various irregularities going on in the hospital are not brought under control now, the situation will take a more dire shape.
SUJ/MMK/MMAR/MFA/ASM
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