Health sector: ACC seeks work order details for Salman’s entities

The Anti-Corruption Commission has requested information from health authorities regarding any work orders issued over the past 16 years to entities owned by Salman F Rahman, a former adviser to the prime minister on private industry and investment.

It sought the information "for proper investigation" into various allegations against Salman, including misappropriation and money laundering, during the tenure of the Awami League government.

Although the ACC sent a letter to the health ministry on March 16 requesting the information by March 25, the Directorate General of Health Services -- the principal agency under the ministry -- only forwarded the request to its subordinate bodies yesterday.

DGHS instructed them to provide information within two days, according to a letter sent by Mohammad Nasir Uddin, its acting director (administration).

Last month, ACC launched an investigation into an alleged Tk 22,000 crore corruption scheme involving Salman and former health minister Zahid Maleque over the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.

According to the complaint, a syndicate led by Salman, who is also the vice chairman of Beximco Group, misappropriated Tk 22,000 crore over vaccine procurement.

On March 19, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd issued a rejoinder to various media outlets, including The Daily Star, rejecting the allegations as "misleading and baseless".

Salman, a former AL lawmaker, was arrested following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government amid a student-led uprising related to a murder case. He is currently in jail and facing multiple cases linked to the uprising.

In a letter sent to the secretary of the health services division on March 16, the ACC mentioned that a three-member team is investigating complaints involving Salman.

The allegations against him include stock market fraud, manipulation of placement shares, embezzlement of thousands of crores of taka from shareholders through deception, securing loans amounting to approximately Tk 36,000 crore from various banks using undue influence, and misappropriating these funds, as well as laundering thousands of crores of taka abroad.

To facilitate a proper investigation into these allegations, the ACC sought records and documents showing whether any work orders were issued to any entity owned by Salman between 2008 and 2024, according to the document.

Yesterday, the DGHS issued a letter to all of its subordinate bodies, including the Central Medical Stores Depot, the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, the Centre for Medical Education, all specialised hospitals, and all medical college hospitals.

The same letter was sent to its directors and line directors.

When asked why the letter was sent yesterday, the DGHS director said they received it from the health ministry on Sunday. "After receiving the letter, we issued the instruction today [Monday], asking for all relevant information within two days," he added.