Former religious advisor Khalid’s medical bill of 82 lakh taka

AFM Khalid Hossain was in charge as the religious affairs advisor to the interim government. He was billed 81 lakh 91 thousand 488 taka from the government treasury for treatment abroad in eighteen months. This information was reported in a report by Agadayam Times quoting sources from the Cabinet Office.
The former Naib Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam has undergone treatment in Thailand. Khalid Hossain is suffering from heart disease. The National Heart Institute has said that treatment for this heart disease is not available in the country. There are risks in the operation related to this in Bangladesh. Khalid Hossain claimed that he was advised to undergo treatment in Thailand.
Khalid Hossain underwent treatment with government approval. He went to Thailand late last year and early this year. He underwent surgery. The first time he was accompanied by a doctor. The next time, his daughter and her husband. Khalid Hossain said that he still has problems. But he cannot go due to high expenses.
Every year, millions of Bangladeshis go to different countries for treatment. Under medical tourism, 1.5 to 1.7 million Bangladeshis go to India. Although these figures are before 2024. Then the situation changed, patients want to go to the country for treatment. After India, they go to Thailand and Singapore for treatment. That number is also not small.
With the above statistics, Khalid Hossain was asked whether the previous governments have consistently failed to develop the health sector. Khalid Hossain replied frankly, ‘There must be failure. Why have we not been able to build a good hospital after all these years. We have not been able to build a hospital like Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Thousands of crores of taka are looted and laundered from the banks. If treatment was available in the country, it would not have cost so much.’ I also spent a lot of money for treatment. If treatment was available in the country, would anyone go? This is not a pleasure trip.’
You held an important position in Dr. Muhammad Yunus’ cabinet. Why didn’t you raise questions about the health sector in the advisory board meeting? The answer to this question was also ready, even if the advisors or ministers wanted to, they cannot do much. There are bureaucratic complications. Even if they wanted to, nothing can be done here.
Former Finance Advisor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed has taken a bill of 79 lakh 38 thousand 229 taka from the government treasury for treatment abroad. However, this is the second highest expenditure on treatment abroad among the advisors of the interim government. According to sources from the Cabinet Office, in just 18 months of the interim government, several other advisors have taken huge amounts of money from the government treasury for medical expenses abroad.
Among them, former Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain 8 lakh 70 thousand 744 taka; former Cultural Advisor Mustafa Sarwar Farooqui 7 lakh 15 thousand 649 taka; former Electricity Advisor Fawzul Kabir Khan 5 lakh 39 thousand 935 taka; former Land Advisor Hasan Arif 2 lakh 67 thousand 216 taka; former Education Advisor Dr. M Aminul Islam took 2 lakh 35 thousand 729 taka and former food advisor Ali Imam Majumder took 1 lakh 70 thousand 134 taka.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that according to the rules, if a minister or a person of the rank of state minister falls ill, the government bears his medical expenses. In case of emergency, treatment can also be arranged abroad. However, this is not a monthly or annual medical allowance.
Iftekharuzzaman mentioned that it is mandatory to follow the prescribed rules and regulations in paying medical expenses. He said, ‘The government pays medical expenses on the condition of submitting proof of illness and necessary bill-vouchers. If it happens that money is taken, but no bill-voucher is submitted. Then whoever receives the money, it is illegal. At the same time, those who approved and paid this money will also not be able to avoid the responsibility of irregularities.’
‘A specific investigation is needed in this regard. Those involved in this must be brought to account and necessary punishment must be given. The process in which the money was paid also needs to be investigated,’ he added. Iftekharuzzaman said, ‘The government has set some precedents in the case of foreign travel. Similarly, transparency and accountability should be ensured in the case of medical expenses. It is necessary to clarify through an investigation how the money was paid without bills and vouchers.’

Source: Future Times