Ad-din Hospital director says health minister must substantiate bribery allegations

He dismisses the minister accusation, saying the hospital will file an appeal to regain operating licence

Dr Sheikh Mohiuddin, executive director of Ad-din Foundation, has said if the health minister claims the hospital followed him with tens of millions of taka, he must prove it.

At a press conference held at Ad-din Hospital on Monday, he said the hospital will file an appeal on Tuesday in a bid to regain its operating licence.

“Why would we carry money? We did nothing like that,” he said.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) cancelled the licence on Jun 11, citing “unsatisfactory” responses to a show-cause notice over the deaths of six newborns.

Patients were ordered to be transferred to other hospitals within three days, sparking panic among patients and their relatives.

On Jun 12, the government ordered six hospitals in Dhaka to provide proper treatment to patients referred from Ad-din Hospital.

The deaths occurred on May 27 in the post-delivery ward of the private hospital in Moghbazar, a day before Eid-ul-Azha, sending shockwaves across the country.

Authorities immediately opened inquiries and served a show-cause notice to hospital authorities.

Health officials said the deaths occurred under “unusual circumstances”.

A health ministry investigation committee found evidence of “negligence”.

Addressing a financial aid distribution event in Narsingdi’s Monohardi Upazila on Saturday, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat said the hospital authorities tried to “bribe him with tens of millions of taka” to save the licence.

He said the prime minister gave him “full support” in revoking the licence.

The minister criticised Jamaat-e-Islami for calling the decision “unfair”.