The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started interrogating the heads of five health sector contractors on allegations of corruption in the purchase of masks, PPEs, and other medical items.
The interrogations, that started at the ACC head office on Wednesday, are to continue to Thursday.
A total of five letters, signed by ACC Director Mir Mohammad Zainul Abedin Shibli, were issued in this regard on July 1.
The traders are, JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd (JHRML) Chairman Abdur Razzak, Coordinator of Tama Construction and Co Ltd (medical team) Matiur Rahman, Chairman of Allan Corporation Limited Aminul Islam Amin – who were questioned on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Humayun Kabir, director of Meditech Imaging Limited and Motazzerul Islam, chairman of Dhaka Central International Medical College and Hospital are to be questioned on Thursday.
A team led by ACC Director Shibli are in-charge of the interrogations.
After questioning, JMI Chairman Abdur said ACC took his statement to investigate the allegations but he refused to make comments on the nature of the statement that was provided by him.
Meanwhile, Matiur Rahman, coordinator of Tama Construction denied his corruption allegation altogether, adding that his company's responsibility was to supply 300,000 masks but they delivered 299,940 masks. “This is not a fraud or an irregularity.”
ACC Secretary Muhammad Dilwar Bakht said all the allegations are being investigated. The interrogation – as a part of the ongoing investigation – has commenced in order to find out who is involved in corruption and irregularities.
ACC Director Shibli mentioned in the letter that statements of officials of the private companies were necessary for the investigation into allegations of embezzlement against officials of the health and family planning ministry and Directorate General of Health Services.
The accused allegedly embezzled crores of taka in collusion with others by purchasing substandard masks, PPE, and other health equipment for the treatment of Covid-19 patients through irregularities, corruption, and abuse of power, the letter added.
Earlier on June 18, ACC formed a four-member team led by ACC Director Shibli to fully investigate the allegations of irregularities, corruption, fraud, and forgery in the procurement of various protective materials, including N-95 masks, and personal protective equipment (PPEs).
JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd (JHRML) has been accused of putting health-care workers at risk of Covid-19 infection by supplying fake N95 masks to the Health Ministry.
ACC received allegations on this matter from multiple sources, including its own intelligence unit.
Earlier, the government allocated Tk100 crore to buy N95 masks for health-care workers involved in treating coronavirus patients.
The contractor, JMI Group, was given the order of supplying masks made in the United States. However, when the masks were supplied to several hospitals, including the Mugda General Hospital in Dhaka, doctors questioned their quality.
The Ministry of Health reacted by forming an inquiry committee of its own. Although the committee submitted the inquiry report to the ministry, the committee’s head refused to reveal any of its content.