A mobile court of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has conducted a drive at Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College Hospital and Gonosasthyo Pharmaceuticals Limited factory in Savar, for violating health codes.
The drive, which started on Tuesday evening, ended around 10pm. The court fined the hospital Tk10 lakh and the factory Tk15 lakh.
At a press briefing, RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwar Alam said the fines were imposed because of improper management, use of expired injections and medicine, manufacture of banned drugs, and the manufacture of drugs without following health codes.
The pharmaceutical factory’s antibiotic department was also closed during the drive, after expired chemicals, raw materials, and other irregularities were discovered.
The mobile court was led by RAB Headquarters Executive Magistrate Sarwar Alam. He was assisted by Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Sheikh Rasel Hasan and the upazila’s Assistant Commissioner (land) Pranab Kumar Ghosh.
According to RAB, the drive began around 5:30pm with members of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Directorate General of Drug Administration, and Savar upazila administration also present. Fines were imposed because expired surgical equipment and medicine, an unclean premises, and lack of authorization were discovered.
Both the hospital and the factory are owned by Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, founder and trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra.
Zafrullah has made headlines over the last week after being accused in a number of cases filed over various charges including sedition, extortion, vandalism, stealing and illegal occupation of land.