3 DMCH employees embezzle Tk 40m

Three employees of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) have embezzled Tk 40 million from the hospital’s account, according to officials.

The employees allegedly misappropriated the money from the fund collected from patients as fees and sales of tickets, rent of the hospital canteen and bills for electricity supply for the hospital’s residential buildings.

The three were named as account officer MM Arifur Rahman, office-assistant-cum-cashier Md Alamgir Hossain and ticket clark (in-charge) of emergency department Azizul Haque Bhuiyan.

They were supposed to deposit the money with the hospital’s bank accounts but, according to official complaint, they did not do so.

The matter was referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and ACC officials said the three have been found guilty through initial investigation.

DMCH director brigadier general AKM Nasiruddin told Prothom Alo that the incident of embezzlement had taken place before he joined the office.

He, however, said the authorities will take punitive measures if they are finally found guilty by the ACC.

DMCH officials said ticket clark Azizul Haque Bhuiyan was suspended. Arifur Rahman was served show-cause notice thrice.

The accused employees did not deposit the money collected from various sources for two financial years -- 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Arifur has been in the meantime promoted to the current post from storekeeper position. Alamgir, a class IV officer, was also elevated.

In an official letter on 9 May last year, the then director of the hospital brigadier general Muhammad Mizanur Rahman accused Arifur of embezzling the money.

Arifur, however, denied the allegation saying some quarters are trying to harrass him.

“I did not embezzle the money. I had enemies and they have lodged complaints against me with the ACC, he claimed.

Jahangir Alam, a shopkeeper of Mokamtola in Dhamrai, Dhaka, where Arifur Rahman lives, told Prothom Alo that Ariful is constructing a five-storey building there.

Another accused,, Alamgir, also denied the allegation of embezzlement. He claimed that he was not summoned by the ACC.

The other accused, Azizul, could not be reached for his comment when Prothom Alo tried to reach him over mobile phone.

* This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Galib Ashraf.