Fake medicines supplied to Rangpur hospitals for 2 yrs

He divulged "a lot of information" about spurious medicines, Detective Branch police said. He was taken on three-day remand on Saturday.

Mahfuz Amin Setu, a fake chemist, was arrested when police raided a fake laboratory at Pannardighi in the Sadar upazila on August 3 and recovered huge quantities of spurious medicines and fertiliser.

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Quoting from Setu's statement, a DB source said that some of the spurious life saving medicines produced in the fake factory were packed and labeled in the name of reputed pharmaceutical companies and supplied to these hospitals.

Besides information on production and supply of spurious medicines, Mahfuz Amin also disclosed some "sensational information", the sources said but declined to disclose for the sake of investigation.

Three alleged spurious medicine dealers Joynal Abedin, Azad, and Mosaddeque Bablu-- had formed an "armed gang" in and around the RMCH. They did all sorts of crimes in the hospital.

Whenever some one opened mouth against them, they never hesitated to take any action to stop him.

A source at the RMCH said Azad and Mosaddeque Bablu were subcontractors who supplied medicines to the hospital on behalf of an influential BNP and DAB (Doctors Association of Bangladesh) leader.

Some months ago, they presented the BNP leader a luxurious car.

The DB sources said they are facing a "tough situation now as some influential BNP leaders are pressing them to exclude the name of Joynal Abedin, Mosaddeque Bablu and Azad from the case lodged for producing spurious medicines in the fake laboratory at Pannardhighi.

Meanwhile the local units of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) continued their programmes for arrest of the culprits who produced fake medicines and supplied those to hospitals.

On Saturday, activists of the parties staged a four-hour token hunger strike in front of the Court Square.

The hunger strike programme ended with formation of a human chain.

Dr. Swapan, Sakwat Ranga , Goutom Roy and other leaders led the programes that started at 10:00 am.

The JSD leaders expressed their deep concern over alleged the police inaction in arresting the producers of spurious medicine, fertiliser and cement and their dealers.

They claimed that police, instead of arresting the culprits suggested them to go to Dhaka and pay for High Court bail.

Meanwhile Rangpur Civil Surgeon Dr. Joynal Abedeen told this correspondent that they have not yet formed any probe body to investigate the matter but asked the authorities of ACME Laboratory and Aristopharma to check the quality of medicines Eftear Pharmacy supplies to their depots.

Eftear Pharmacy, whose proprietor is the wife of Joynal Abedin, is supposed to supply medicines of ACME Labratory and Aristopharma under a contract.

Zamil Hossen, Rangpur Depot Manager of Aristopharma

Said he was asked to examine the quality of medicines supplied by Eftear Pharmachy. He is awaiting an official letter from the Civil Surgeon in this regard.

When asked if any probe body was formed to investigate

Supply of spurious medicines to RMCH, Director of the hospital Dr. A.K.M Shahariar said, " I won't say anything about this."