JS body orders action as audit finds irregular commissions at BMU

A government audit has found that specialists at Bangladesh Medical University, formerly PG Hospital or BSMMU, were improperly drawing commissions on the total income from medical tests instead of the net profit.

In response, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Opposition Deputy Leader Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher today directed the university authorities to recover the irregularly collected funds.

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The committee’s first meeting discussed eight audit objections against BMU, Taher told reporters after the meeting.

“Some audit objections have been settled, while others will be further examined by an enquiry committee led by member Mahbubur Rahman,” he said.

The committee will conduct on-site investigations and submit a report within a week, based on which the committee will decide the next course of action, Taher said.

Under government rules, specialists are entitled to a 30 percent commission on profits from medical tests, he said.

“But we found they were taking 30 percent commission on total income instead of profit.”

For example, if the income is Tk 100 and expenditure Tk 90, the commission should be calculated on the Tk 10 profit. Instead, the specialists took commission on the full Tk 100 income, Taher said.

“This irregularity amounts to several crores of taka.”

“We have clearly directed that this money must be recovered by any means. The university authorities must collect it and submit monthly reports to the committee on how much is being recovered, and whether commissions are now being taken according to rules,” he said.

Taher said the committee’s main task is to review all government expenditures, past and present, that have audit objections.

The first meeting also discussed audits from the past autocratic era, followed by those of the interim government and the present government, he said.

“These audits will come to us after completion. From next year, we will also review audits of the current government. So interim government audits and unresolved objections from past governments will all be addressed. We are very serious about this,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Planning was held today at the parliament, chaired by committee president and PM’s political adviser Zahir Uddin Swapon.

At the outset, the chairman, members and senior officials introduced themselves. Reports on the activities of the planning ministry and its departments were then presented, followed by detailed discussions on the progress of ongoing projects.

Committee member and minister concerned Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury stressed the importance of vigilance in project implementation. He called on members and officials to assist the ministry through participatory activities to ensure government accountability.

In his remarks, the chairman expressed hope that the Standing Committee would fulfil its responsibilities by ensuring the government’s accountability to the people.