ACC to probe anomalies in purchase of PPE, masks

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday formed a probe committee to investigate the alleged anomalies in Covid-19 safety gears' procurement at Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD).

The committee is comprised of four members and headed by ACC Director Mir Md Zainul Abedin Shebly, said ACC's Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya.

The committee would submit its report to the commission for taking legal action, he added.

Other members of the committee are Deputy Director Nurul Huda, assistant directors Saiduzzaman Nandan and Ataur Rahman.

ACC Chairman Iqbal Mahmood said masks and PPEs are linked to the health security of doctors, nurses and health workers.

"The commission will unearth the truth and bring responsible persons to the book," he said.

Anyone found involved in the irregularities will be made accountable, Iqbal added.

Earlier on June 10, the commission decided to enquiry into the allegations.

On June 3, ACC sent a letter to the Ministry of Health asking for the probe findings.

After the detection of COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh, Central Medical Stores Depot supplied PPEs to government hospitals those included packets of masks labelled as N95 masks.

But upon opening the packets, the government physicians found ordinary face masks in them.

On April 20, the health ministry formed a three-member committee led by the ministry's Additional Secretary (Development) Saidur Rahman. The committee submitted its report within three days.

The ministry, however, is yet to publish the report or announce what action it had taken after the report was submitted.