A file photo shows that Health Minister Zahid Maleque, former DGHS director general Abul Kalam Azad and Regent Hospital chairman Mohammad Shahed hold the memorandum of understanding that allowed the hospital to carry out free coronavirus tests at government labs
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday pressed charges against six people, including former director general of the Directorate General of Health Service Dr Abul Kalam Azad in the Regent Hospital scam.
The five others are Regent Group chairman Mohammad Shahed, former DGHS director M Amimul Hasan, its deputy director M Yunus Ali, assistant director M Shafiur Rahman and research officer M Didarul Islam.
ACC's general recording officer in the court Md Zulfiqar said that the commission’s deputy director Farid Ahmed Patwary submitted the charge sheet to the court.
Earlier on September 20, the ACC approved the charge sheet against them in the case that was filed over an illegal agreement between the health department and Regent Hospital.
The commission initially filed the case about one year ago dropping the name of former top health official from the list of suspects but accusing Regent Hospital chairman Shahed and four DGHS officials.
On the day, addressing a press conference at ACC head office, its secretary Mohammad Anwar Hossain Howlader told reporters that the investigator found the involvement of Abul Kalam in the irregularity.
According to the ACC investigation, these people embezzled Tk 1.37 crore through Covid test forgery and attempted to embezzle Tk 1.96 crore allocated for salaries of Regent Hospital employees from the government fund.
There was widespread criticism of the memorandum of understanding signed between Regent Hospital and the DGHS, especially in virtual platforms after a photograph of the signing ceremony went viral.
The photograph showed Shahed signing the MoU while Health Minister Zahid Maleque and then DGHS chief Abul Kalam Azad looking on.
Standing behind them were then Health Secretary Asadul Islam, Local Government Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed and Public Security Division Secretary Mostafa Kamal Uddin.
According to the ACC investigation, the accused were involved in turning the closed Regent Hospital into a dedicated Covid hospital using their clout.
On the basis of the MoU, the hospital was allowed to test samples at a government lab without fees while it charged Covid test seekers Tk 3,500 for each test, the commission probe found.
Uttara and Mirpur branches of the hospital embezzled Tk 1.37 crore in this process as the branches got 3,939 samples tested at the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine.
The investigation further said that the accused also attempted to realise Tk 1.96 crore monthly as food allowance of physicians, nurses and other officials of Regent Hospital.
On July 15, 2020, the Rapid Action Battalion detained Shahed in a border area of Satkhira on charges of fraud.
On July 21, 2020, Abul Kalam resigned as the DGHS director general amid criticism of his role while its director for hospitals and clinics Aminul was removed on the following day over irregularities.
