ACC raids IPH on saline production halt charge
FE Report | Monday, 2 July 2018
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday conducted a drive at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) acting on an allegation of discontinuing saline production intentionally.
The commission received a complaint through its Hotline-106 that state-run IPH located in the city's Mohakhali has not been producing saline in its facility for nearly a year.
The complainant alleged that the IPH halted its saline production on purpose to give an opportunity to the private companies to grab the saline market, according to an ACC press statement.
Based on the allegation, an ACC team led by deputy director Saidur Rahman carried out the operation from 11:00 am to 1:00pm in the presence its director Dr Abul Kalam Md Azad.
During the drive, Mr Azad acknowledged that saline production came down to ground as the institute stopped purchasing raw materials for the last one year.
He also informed the ACC enforcement team that IPH had refunded its Tk 80 million budget to the government which was allocated for raw material purchase.
About the drive, ACC director general (admin) Md Munir Chowdhury said, "Halting production without any logical reason is a type of corruption and if it is proved, ACC will take legal action against IPH."
He also said no one is above accountability and the matter will be brought to the attention of the Health Ministry.