Explain legality of hospital raid restrictions: HC

Bangladesh Desk: The High Court on Tuesday asked the government to explain the legality of a health ministry circular that directed the law enforcement agencies not to raid public and private hospitals without its permission.

The bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman issued the rule after hearing virtually a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Rafiqul Islam.

The court asked the health, home and law secretaries to reply to the rule in four weeks, said the petitioner’s lawyer Yeadia Zaman after the hearing.

The Health Services Division of the health ministry issued the circular on August 4 reportedly in the face of pressure from Bangladesh Private Medical College Association to end mobile court operations at private hospitals.

The division argued that the raids by the law enforcing agencies had interrupted the routine works of the hospitals.

In case of any urgency for raiding any hospital, the circular asked the authorities concerned to inform the health ministry about it.

The directive was largely criticised as it was issued in the backdrop of law enforcement agencies’ raids on different hospitals, including JKG Healthcare, Regent Hospital and Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital, amid different scams like providing fake COVID-19 test reports, charging excessive bills and using date expired reagents and medical equipment.