ACC prosecutes 7 over fake N-95 masks

The headquarters of Anti-Corruption CommissionFile photo

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday filed a case against seven people for allegedly accepting and distributing fake N-95 masks amid the outbreak of highly infectious novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), putting the health workers at risk, reports UNB.

ACC deputy director Nurul Huda filed the case at the commission’s integrated district office, Dhaka-01.

ACC has arrested Md Abdur Razzak, chairman of JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd, over allegations of corruption in supplying N-95 masks to some government hospitals.

Confirming that matter, ACC public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said on Tuesday that a team of ACC arrested him from Segunbagicha area.

On 8 July, the ACC interrogated two businessmen including Razzak over alleged graft in supplying poor quality mask and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

A team led by Mir Mohammad Zainul Abedin Sebly, ACC director and head of the enquiry team, interrogated them from 10:00am to 4:00pm at its Segunbagicha office.

On 1 July, ACC summoned five businessmen for interrogation over graft allegation.

Earlier, on 24 April, the health and family welfare ministry formed a committee to investigate the allegations of providing low-quality products including N-95 masks to some government hospitals.

Physicians of some government hospitals, including Mugda General Hospital, complained of receiving low-quality masks.

Those accused in the ACC case are -- Cox’s Bazar General Hospital supervisor (former deputy director of Central Medical Stores Depot) assistant director of CMSD Shahjahan Sarkar, former chief co-ordinator and desk officer (monitoring desk) Mohammad Ziaul Haque (now attached to the health ministry), medical officer of Dewanganj upazila health complex (former desk officer) Sabbir Ahmed (Desk-8) and additional responsibility in CMSD store department), store officer (acting) Kabir Ahmed, senior store keeper of CMSD Mohammad Yusuf Fakir and Md Abdur Razzak, chairman of JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd.