ACC probes manipulation of essential medicine supply

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an investigation into allegations of artificially creating shortages of 117 essential medicines and selling them at inflated prices, conducting a drive at the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) today (11 November).

The ACC’s Enforcement Unit also conducted drives at three other locations over allegations of excess charges for deed registration, patient harassment at a hospital and irregularities in road construction.

During the DGDA operation, an ACC team collected the list of 117 essential medicines, minutes of meetings of the committee responsible for fixing medicine prices and other relevant documents.

The allegations include deliberately making the medicines scarce in the market and selling expensive formulations instead of regular medicines. The Enforcement Unit will review the collected documents and submit a report to the commission, Assistant Director Md Tanzir Ahmed said.

Meanwhile, an ACC team from its Integrated District Office in Pabna raided the Pabna Sadar Sub-Registrar’s Office over allegations of collecting extra money for deed registration and certified copies, as well as harassing service seekers.

Officials spoke to service seekers around deed writers’ offices, the record room and the courtroom. They found preliminary evidence supporting allegations that deed writers were collecting Tk2,000-Tk10,000 per person beyond government-prescribed fees in the name of the Deed Writers’ Association. The team also collected relevant documents.

In Dinajpur, the ACC’s district office investigated allegations of patient harassment, broker syndicates, non-functional medical testing equipment and poor cleanliness at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital. Officials observed hospital activities undercover and inspected different departments before meeting the director.

Another team from the ACC’s Integrated District Office in Mymensingh inspected a nearly seven-kilometre stretch of the Abhaypasha Bypass Road in Netrokona’s Atpara upazila over allegations of using substandard materials and violating work orders.

In the presence of an independent engineer, officials collected project documents, recorded statements and inspected the roadwork, also seeking local residents’ views on its progress and quality.

The ACC said it would review the evidence and statements gathered during all four drives before submitting detailed reports to the commission.