Books worth Tk 320 bought for Tk 88 thousand!

The 128-page book, Metabolism and Nutrition, a volume of the medical textbook series One Stop Doc published by CRC press in the US, is available in the local market for about Tk 1000 or Tk 1500. Amazon sells it online for USD 4.00 (about Tk 320 ). Abdul Malek Ukil Medical College in Noakhali has bought the same book for Tk 88,500!

This medical college created a sham tender and procured the book through a particular person for multiple times the actual price. Books that could be bought by Tk 1.5 crore (Tk 15 million), were bought for Tk Tk 6 crore (Tk 60 million) by the college authorities. These irregularities in purchase and violation of the government procurement rules have been proven in reports of three government offices, but the health ministry has taken no action against the persons involved in the corruption.

There have been irregularities in the procurement of books and furniture at Satkhira medical college too. Satkhira medical college purchased books and furniture for Tk 10 crore (Tk 100 million) from the same persons who supplied books to Noakhali medical college at exorbitant prices.

These irregularities and instances of corruption were revealed in reports of the office of the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) and the central procurement technical unit (CPTU), as well as by talking to several medical book suppliers of the country.

Health secretary Manzurul Islam was unwilling to comment on the allegations of irregularities in the procurement of books for the two medical colleges. On 11 May he told Prothom Alo, "We know about the irregularities and are addressing the matter."

There are 20 medical colleges in the country. Abdul Malek Ukil medical college was established in 2008 in Noakhali and the Satkhira medical college in 2011.

One man, five firms: Mohammed Mahbubul Islam's business is supplying textbooks to the medical colleges in the country. He is the proprietor of Sourav Publishers and Distributors. His wife Afsana Islam is the proprietor of  two other firms, Orbital International and Nirjhara Enterprise. Mahbubul's brother-in-law has two firms too, Sourav Book Centre and Renu Enterprise. These five forms in one family participate in tenders to supply books to the medical colleges and obtain the work orders in collusion with the authorities.

Mahbubul Islam claims his brother-in-law's business is separate and also that his wife firms gets the work orders because it is qualified. But CPTU and the auditor's office said that the firms may be in different names, but they decide together on the bidding. Mahbubul denied overpricing the books.

Exorbitant prices: Abdul Salam, principal of Noakhali medical college, on 5 August last year called for bids to supply books and periodicals. Six firms took part in the bidding, including Orbital and Nirjhara of Mahbubul's wife, and Sourav Books of his brother-in-law. The principal violated the procurement rules and made himself the head of the tender evaluation committee. The evaluation committee qualified Orbital and Sourav, and Orbital was the lowest bidder. On 23 September Orbital was given four work orders to supply books and periodicals for Tk 6 crore (Tk 60 million). Just within four days, Orbital provided these books on 27 September in four lots.

Orbital supplied 3,745 types of books at rates ranging from two to 150 times the price of the market rates.

Principal Abdus Salam told Prothom Alo, Poroma Publishers did not qualify as it did not fufill the conditions of the tender. It is not for the college to see whether the two qualified firms belonged to the same persons or not, he said.

CPU and the auditor's office said that the conditions were drawn up deliberately to award the work orders to the firms of their choice.