All tender activities in the health sector have been suspended. The step was taken to review the old tender process and make it transparent and free of corruption, it has been learned. In recent times, irregularities and corruption had crept into almost every part of the sector, from procurement onwards, and there were endless questions over the tender process. Taking all of this into account, the government has suspended all tender activities.
Ministry sources say the Health Ministry received complaints that, in evaluating tenders, the same individual sat repeatedly on multiple committees at the National Electro-Medical Equipment Maintenance Workshop and Training Centre (NEMEMW&TC) and worked in collusion with contractors. On the afternoon of Tuesday, 4 August, the minister, state minister, health adviser, secretary, the Director General of Health Services, and the heads of CMSD, NEMEMW&TC and other related agencies met. It was decided that the tender process needed to be scrutinised and, if necessary, amended. Accordingly, all tender activities have been suspended until 14 August, during which the process will be examined and a report submitted. If problems are found, the government will resume tender activities after resolving them.
Notably, during the Awami League’s decade-and-a-half rule, a handful of individuals repeatedly evaluated the tenders of various hospitals, awarding contracts through syndicates in collusion with contractors by improper means. The government has taken this tough decision to examine all of this and investigate the corruption before deciding on next steps.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report