8 brokers jailed, fined for harassing doctors, patients

A mobile court awarded imprisonment and fine to eight outsiders arrested from Pabna General Hospital yesterday.

"The arrestees, working as brokers, often harassed doctors and patients of the hospital. They were punished following specific allegations," said Executive Magistrate Saidul Islam, who conducted the drive in the morning.

Of the convicts, Jahangir Hosain, 55, Nazmul Hossain, 26, Swapon Hossain, 28, and Rawshan alias Babu, 38, got six months' imprisonment and fine of Tk 10 thousand each while Rani Hossain, 19, Rafikul Islam, 20, Abdul Momin, 25, and Monir Uddin Moni, 27, were fined Tk 10 thousand each.

Brokers aided by outsider criminals often pressure the doctors to refer the patients to their chosen diagnostic centres, sources said.

They often harass patients and their attendants inside the hospital, even extorted the patients' relatives during release of dead bodies, said victims.

A meeting of the hospital management committee held at the hospital auditorium on Monday decided to take tough action against brokers and outsider troublemakers. Drives will continue to keep the brokers and outsiders away from the hospital premises, said an official.