Bashundhara Group has sought Tk 63.4 million from the Health Ministry to pay for setting up the 2,000-bed Covid-19 makeshift hospital.
The costs include installing tents, maintenance and rent.
The International Convention Centre Bashundhara (ICCB), a unit of the diversified conglomerate, has recently sent a letter to the health services division secretary Abdul Mannan. ICCB chief operating officer Jashim Uddin sent the letter.
The letter issued on 19 October said that the ICCB zone of Bashundhara Group and the Alliant Ltd quickly installed the tent and completed electrification, installation of air conditioners, electricity distribution boards and other works under direct supervision of the health engineering department of the DG Health and health services division.
Alliant Ltd deployed its manpower, machinery and expertise in the work and handed over the hospital to the DG Health.
The letter said that the tent is 0.14 million sqft in size, which is the largest in the country having 1,400 beds, three nurses' stations, dedicated space for doctors and other facilities of international standard.
The ICCB authority claimed that the tent has been used for the ICCB Covid hospital since April 2020.
Alliant Ltd submitted three separate bills to the ICCB hospital director on July 07, August 10 and September 30 with claims of Tk 1.5 million, Tk 58.4 million and Tk 3.47 million respectively.
When contacted, health services secretary Abdul Mannan told the FE that he was unaware about such a letter.
The letter may have been submitted, but he did not receive a copy of it, the secretary added.
In reply to a question, whether the bill has been submitted following rules, he said he has to check it with the relevant persons after he sees the letter.
When asked, Dr Tanvir, who was a director of the ICCB field hospital, said the operations of the hospital were suspended long ago and no patient is admitted now.
He also said he has been appointed as the director of the Institute of Public Health (IPH) and no bill was pending.
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