Shahabuddin Medical College MD among 3 put on 5-day remand
The three are SMCH chairman’s son managing director Faisal Al Islam, hospital’s assistant direcotor physician Abul Hasnat and inventory officer Shahrij Kabir
A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed three, including the managing director of Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital (SMCH) in the capital, on five-day remand each in a case filed over alleged fraudulence in coronavirus infection tests.
The court of Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate passed the order.
The three are SMCH chairman’s son managing director Faisal Al Islam, hospital’s assistant director physician Abul Hasnat and inventory officer Shahrij Kabir.
Court sources said police produced the three accused in the court and pleaded for a seven-remand for each of the three in the case. But the judge granted a five-day remand after hearing from both the sides.
A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained the Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital MD Faisal Al Islam from a Gulshan hotel on Monday night on charges of fraudulence and forging COVID-19 test reports.
Sources said Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital was doing tests coronavirus infections though the health directorate (DGHS) had postponed the permission.
RAB on Sunday afternoon conducted a raid at the hospital in Gulshan area of the capital for allegedly performing COVID-19 antibody tests without permission from the government. The RAB team detained two direcotrs and seized various medical equipment from the hospital at that time.
RAB magistrate Sarwoer Alam along with Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) inspector Nahin Al Alam started the drive around 3:00pm.
Nahin told newspersons that they received allegations that the private hospital was conducting antibody tests without having any approval and issuing certificates based on those tests.
RAB magistrate Sarwoer Alam said Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital was initially given permission to conduct coronavirus tests but the DGHS cancelled the approval last week as they failed to set up RT-PCR lab.
Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital is named after its chairman Shahabuddin. He was once assistant secretary to BNP’s central committee and vice president to Dhaka city (north) BNP.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Shahabuddin said he was not aware of anything. Holding the hospital directors and physicians responsible for everything, he said they should face trial.
Shahabuddin pleaded not to shut the hospital saying that people would not get treatment then.