HC orders ACC to inquire anomalies of Tk 4.77B in essential drugs

The High Court on Sunday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to inquire the financial anomalies amounting Tk 4.77 billion at the only state-owned pharmaceutical company, Essential Drugs Company Ltd, and submit its report to it within the next two months.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order on a Suo Motu (an action taken by a court of its own accord) move after considering a newspaper report published on the irregularities of the drug-producing company.

Daily Manab Zamin, a Bangla daily, published the report on March 11 under the banner of “Durnitir Akhra Essential Drugs : Sorkari Audite 32 Oniyom, 477 Koti taka lopat (Corruption hotspot Essential Drugs : Govt audit finds 32 irregularities, Tk 4.77 billion looted)”.

Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin read out the report in the court.

The court also issued a rule asking the government bodies concerned to explain as to why the inaction and failure of them to take appropriate legal action against the persons or entities involved in embezzling huge amounts of money from Essential Drugs through unethical practices and gross irregularities should not be declared illegal.

It also wanted to know in the rule to explain as to why the respondents should not be directed to take appropriate legal action against the persons or entities involved in embezzling huge amounts of money from Essential Drugs.

The Anti-Corruption Commission, Managing Director of the Essential Drugs Company Limited, Health Secretary, Director General of the Directorate General of the Health Services have been asked to comply with the rule. The court has fixed May 14 for further hearing on the issue.

According to the published report, “Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) is a cent per cent government-owned company. The picture of major financial corruption has been emerged even in the government audit of the institution, located in Tejgaon of the capital.

In the audit report of the fiscal year 2020-21, the institution has suffered a financial loss of Tk 4.77 billion due to 32 serious irregularities.”

Irregularities found in the audit of the Health Audit Department include recruitment- trading, tender-trading, showing less production of drugs than the raw materials used, not producing quality drugs without using the right amount of raw materials, taking allowances in the name of picnic and others.

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