Rejoinder (10-11-2020)

In a rejoinder on Monday, the Alliant Ltd, a firm involved in the erection of the Covid hospital at the International Convention Centre, Bashundhara (ICCB), contradicted a report published in the November 09, 2020 issue of the Financial Express (FE) under the headline 'Bashundhara Places Tk. 63m Covid-19 Bills'.

Alliant Ltd managing director Rubayet Ahsan, in the rejoinder, said the Bashundhara Group did not seek any money for itself, rather it forwarded the bills submitted by his firm in relation to works done on the ICCB Covid-19 hospital.

"Let me inform you very clearly that Bashundhara has not submitted any bill to hospital authority, rather they forwarded the bills of Alliant Ltd. for maintenance and commissioning," said the statement.

He further said: "As per my understanding during the time of pandemic & hardship, the ICCB has given their helping hand in every possible way for this makeshift hospital construction and till now they have not claimed any amount for their hard work."

As per periodic demand of the 'Isolation' hospital, the Alliant Ltd. conducted some works in the hospital tent and had submitted a bill of the tent to the ICCB authority, the statement said.

The ICCB, however, mentioned to the Alliant that Bashundhara had a PPP contract with the department of health, under which all maintenance and operating cost would be borne by the department of health.

"So, ICCB is unable to give us payment against the bill and asked us to contact the hospital authority," the letter further said.