A Dhaka court today accepted charges brought against nine people including six doctors in a case filed over irregularities in procurement of drugs for Maternal and Child Health Training Institute in Dhaka’s Azimpur.
The accused are proprietor of Monarch Establishment Fatenur Islam; owner of Nafisa Business Corner Sheikh Idris Uddin Chanchal; former supervisor of Maternal and Child Health Training Institute in Azimpur and president of Tender Evaluation Committee Israt Jahan; former senior consultant (Gynaecology) of the training institute and president of Market Price Verification Committee Raushan Hossain Jahan.
Other accused are former assistant coordinator (Training and Research) of the training institute Md Lutful Kabir Khan; former medical officer of the training institute Raushan Jahan; medical officer (Children) of the institute and member of Market Price Verification Committee and member secretary of evaluation committee Begum Mahfuza Dilara Akhter; senior consultant of the training institute Md Amir Hussain; and former social welfare officer of the Social Welfare Office Raisa Khatun.
During the hearing today, all accused were present at the court. However, all of them earlier secured bail from different courts after the case was filed.
Judge Mohammad Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the order after scrutinising the case dockets and other relevant documents.
The judge fixed September 30 for hearing on charge framing against the accused in the case.
On June 13, ACC Assistant Director (Special Enquiry and Investigation-2) Md Ataur Rahman Sarker submitted a charge sheet against them.
The IO dropped names of Jebunnesa Hossain, former principal of Family Welfare Inspector Training Institute, and Md Mizanur Rahman, former social welfare officer, from the charge sheet as their involvement was not found.
On December 17 of 2019, ACC Deputy Director Abu Bakar Siddique filed a case against 11 people, including Dr Israt Jahan, over embezzlement of Tk 1, 12,15,306.10 through fraudulent procurement practices.
According to the case statements, the accused violated Public Procurement Rules by engaging in fraud and corruption and failing to adhere to the MRP and Drug Administration Department’s price list and the MSR price list. They purchased items at arbitrary rates, recommended by the Market Rate Verification Committee, without ministry approval, resulting in substantial financial losses, the case statement reads.
