‘MoU with Regent Hospital signed in presence of health minister’
Health and family welfare minister Zahid Maleque was aware about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Regent Hospital.
The health secretary at the time, Asadul Islam, also knew about the matter.
The minister requested the local government and the public security division secretaries to be present at the signing ceremony.
I was present in the MoU ceremony at the request of the minister after the meeting on coronavirus.
A meeting on coronavirus had been held just before the signing of the MoU at the room of director general of DGHS in Mohakhali of the capital city on 21 March.
Zahid Maleque requested the secretaries to stay back after the meeting. Snacks were served and afterwards, Regent Hospital chairman Md Shahed entered the DG’s room. The MoU was signed in presence of the secretaries.
But now the minister and his ministry say they do not know anything about the matter.
A picture of the signing ceremony is now on the social media.
According to the picture, Md Shahed is signing the MoU, and health minister Zahid Maleque and DG Abul Kalam Azad are looking on. The health secretary at the time, the local government secretary and the public security division secretary are standing behind.
Health secretary Asadul Islam was transferred to the planning division as its secretary on 4 June. At his directives, DGHS director Aminul Hasan arranged the ceremony.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, local government division senior secretary Helal Uddin said he was present in the MoU ceremony at the request of the minister after the meeting on coronavirus.
Public security division secretary Mostafa Kamal Uddin echoed the same.
The DGHS in a press statement on Saturday said the MoU with Regent Hospital was signed at the directives of the high-ups of the ministry.
On the following day, the ministry in a letter to the DG sought an explanation about ‘the high-ups’.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, DG Abul Kalam Azad said, “We will inform the ministry in details tomorrow or on the following day.”
“The health minister told us that he did not know anything about the agreement,” health and family affairs secretary Md Ali Noor told Prothom Alo.
The minister was not available for comment at the ministry and did not respond to phone calls. He did not reply to text messages either.
The government signed a MoU allowing two branches of Regent Hospital (Uttara and Mirpur) to treat COVID-19 patients. But the hospital was not qualified for the job. The hospital has no license to operate. The hospital would deliver certificates without even carrying out tests of the collected samples.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) conducted raids on 6 July and sealed off the hospital. A case was filed against 17 people including chairman Md Shahed. The prime accused Shahed has not been arrested although nine employees including a minor boy have been arrested.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.