Bagerhat, Aug 13 (V7N) – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bagerhat district conducted a surprise inspection on Tuesday, August 12, at the Morrelganj Upazila Health Complex following multiple reports of irregularities in operations, medicine shortages, overcharging, and poor-quality food services.
 
This 50-bed hospital, serving around 500,000 people across 16 unions and one municipality in the upazila, has long been criticized for failing to meet basic healthcare standards despite receiving significant annual government allocations for medicine supplies. According to patients and reports from local media, even though the government allocates millions of taka each year, admitted patients receive only a few basic medications. In most cases, essential drugs such as antibiotics, ceftriaxone, omeprazole injections, and cholera saline must be purchased from outside pharmacies. Financial constraints often prevent low-income patients from receiving adequate treatment.
 
Inside the hospital’s inpatient department, although a list of 35 types of available medicines is publicly posted, doctors are reportedly prescribing alternative brands influenced by pharmaceutical company representatives. Furthermore, in the outpatient department, patients have been charged Tk 5 for tickets instead of the official Tk 3, allegedly due to a lack of change.
 
The hospital’s food service has also come under scrutiny. Breakfast scheduled for early morning is often served as late as 10 a.m., while lunch is frequently provided without proper measurement. Some days include pangas fish or poultry chicken, accompanied by lentils and vegetables, though reports indicate no consistency or quality control in meal portions.
 
In response to these complaints, a five-member ACC team led by Assistant Director Russel Rony conducted the inspection. During the raid, expired medicines were discovered in the hospital’s storage. The team also interviewed patients and identified irregularities in food distribution and medicine supply. Three medical officers were found not reporting to duty on time via the hospital’s digital attendance system. At the ticket counter, employee Monir Hossain was caught overcharging patients and was given a written warning. Commitments for immediate corrective action were obtained from both Monir Hossain and Dr. Muzahidul Islam, one of the hospital’s senior officials.
 
Speaking to the media, Assistant Director Russel Rony confirmed the presence of expired medicine and the unlawful collection of excess ticket fees. He added that the issue of unmeasured food supply has been ongoing for some time. Hospital staff have been cautioned, and the ACC has stated that any future violations will result in legal action.
 
The inspection highlights the ongoing struggle in rural healthcare facilities to maintain transparency, accountability, and basic service standards, despite government funding and public expectations.
 
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