The three-member panel has seven working days to identify those responsible, while the Doctors Association of Bangladesh has suspended the primary membership of an accused doctor.
The Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) temporarily suspends the primary membership of Dr Zahid Hasan on 28 October and issues a 48-hour show-cause notice following an assault on IEDCR Director Prof Kazi Ahmed Zaki at his office in Dhaka. Photo: Screenshot from video
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The Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) temporarily suspends the primary membership of Dr Zahid Hasan on 28 October and issues a 48-hour show-cause notice following an assault on IEDCR Director Prof Kazi Ahmed Zaki at his office in Dhaka. Photo: Screenshot from video
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formed a three-member committee to investigate the assault on the director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and the ensuing unrest at his office in Dhaka.
The committee has been asked to submit a comprehensive report within seven working days, identifying those responsible, presenting evidence and making recommendations.
An office order issued by the Administration-1 wing of the Health Services Division today (28 October) announced the formation of the committee.
Additional Secretary (Budget) Arif Ahmad of the Health Services Division has been appointed convener. Professor Dr Md Zahid Raihan, additional director general (administration) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), is a member, while Deputy Secretary Imtiaz Hossain of the Administration-1 wing will serve as member-secretary.
According to the order, the committee will establish the facts surrounding the incident, following reports from reliable sources and information circulated on social media. It may also include officials from the DGHS or its affiliated institutions if required.
DAB suspends accused doctor’s membership
The Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) has temporarily suspended the primary membership of Dr Zahid Hasan, its assistant secretary for legal affairs, over the alleged assault on IEDCR Director Professor Kazi Ahmed Zaki.
The pro-BNP doctors’ organisation has also issued Zahid a 48-hour show-cause notice asking why further organisational action should not be taken against him.
DAB Secretary General Dr Zahirul Islam Shakil confirmed the decision to The Business Standard, saying the organisation had reviewed video footage of the incident.
“So far, we have identified one member in the video. We are making inquiries about the others. If any of them are identified as DAB members, action will also be taken against them,” he said.
According to a report from Banani Police Station, Zahid, Dr Based and 10–15 unidentified people allegedly entered the director’s office by force between 11:15am and 11:30am and physically harassed him by grabbing his shirt collar. The group left after other officials and employees intervened.
The police report said the incident was linked to a dispute over Zahid’s employment under the US-funded Bangladesh Public Health Protection project. His employment ended when the project’s tenure expired, but he had allegedly been pressuring the authorities to extend it.
Shakil said DAB would not protect anyone found to have been involved in the incident and that the organisation was investigating the identities of the other people seen in the footage.
The IEDCR director declined to comment on the incident.
Banani Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Salahuddin told TBS that police had visited the scene but had not received a verbal or written complaint. He said the police would take action in accordance with the law if a complaint was filed.
IEDCR is a key government institution responsible for monitoring disease outbreaks, conducting research and issuing health alerts. It also works with international organisations, including the World Health Organisation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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