C T Online Desk: An Accounts officer of Chittagong General Hospital has been accused of resorting to fraud to issue a bill of Tk 5 crore 36 lakh by putting a fake memorandum number. Although the hospital authorities were supposed to lodge a general diary at the police station, no action has been taken yet.
It is learned that irregularities took place in the purchase of eight ICU beds and other equipment for Chittagong General Hospital in the financial year 2013-14 at a cost of Tk 5 crore 36 lakh 25 thousand. A case filed by the ACC in this incident is under trial in court . As a result, the bill of the contractor supplying the goods is also stuck.
On Tuesday (June 28), the concerned Accounts Officer of the General Hospital tried to release the bill from the Chittagong Divisional Accounts Controller’s Office by making a fake memorandum number.. But in the end the issue of fraud was detected . Earlier on May 16 this year, the investigation committee formed by the health department also came to Chittagong to investigate the matter. But even then, the accused Accounts Officer gang, including the contractor, was quick to release the bill.
According to the source, Accounts officer made a fake paper by putting the memorandum number of a bill of Chittagong Medical College Hospital in the name of another bill of General Hospital. He got the paper signed by the hospital caretaker and took it to the departmental Accounts controller’s office in the afternoon. If there is any suspicion about the officer of the concerned branch, the head of the office is informed later. Later they (Departmental Accounts Regulatory Authority) contacted the Department of Health on mobile phone. Accounts Officer was detained at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General after receiving instructions from the Department of Health. He was later handed over to Panchlaish police station. When contacted, Divisional Accounts Controller SM Manzoor Ahmed declined to speak on the phone.
However, the caretaker of the Chittagong General Hospital. Sheikh Fazle Rabbi admitted the bill was fraudulent, but the hospital’s Accountant did not comment on AO Forkan’s involvement. Asked if any general diary had been lodged by the General Hospital, Kotwali Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahedul Kabir told that the hospital authorities had contacted him on Tuesday night about diary . He was supposed to arrive Police station Wednesday (June 29) morning but no one came.
