Extortion, tender rigging and broker syndicates paralyse DMCH

Bangladesh’s largest and most critical public healthcare facility is no longer just a place of healing. It has become a battleground of extortion, tender manipulation, and organised broker syndicates that prey on patients, intimidate doctors, and paralyse medical services all while authorities turn a blind eye.

Established in 1946 and serving thousands daily from across the country, Dhaka Medical College Hospital was meant to be a beacon of affordable, quality care. Instead, patients now face harassment, inflated diagnostic bills, and forced referrals while doctors are coerced into paying monthly “protection” fees under threat of humiliation.

Behind it all: a shadowy network allegedly led by former student leaders, ex-doctors, and politically connected figures many tied to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal.

According to intelligence reports submitted to the Ministry of Health, key figures including Dr Javed Ahmed (former Chhatra Dal vice-president and current BCS police cadre officer), Dr. Mahmudul Hasan Khan Sumon, Dr. Biplob, Maruf Hasan Roni, Md. Masud, and Mezbauddin Sifat have been named for orchestrating a multi-pronged racket — from tender lobbying to running a diagnostic monopoly.

Monthly extortion from doctors

Multiple doctors, speaking anonymously to Jago News, revealed they are forced to pay monthly sums, Tk 1,000 for medical officers, Tk 1,500 for resident surgeons, under the guise of “party funds.” Those who refuse face threats, public shaming, and professional sabotage. Though the BNP’s platform of physicians Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) issued a directive condemning such payments, leading some to stop, fear still compels others to pay in silence.

Dr Javed Ahmed denies all allegations, calling them “politically motivated lies.” Yet hospital staff say his influence is palpable and his dual identity as a BCS officer adds a layer of impunity.

Tender lobbying & institutional intimidation

On March 15, Dr Javed and Dr Sumon allegedly stormed into the hospital director’s office, pressuring him to award tenders to their preferred vendors. When refused, they left in a rage. Weeks later, Dr Javed reportedly threatened Deputy Director Md Ashraful Islam via WhatsApp after he resisted tender manipulation.

Despite e-GP procurement rules mandating transparent bidding, insiders say pressure is applied to favor distant, and often affiliated, suppliers, risking inflated costs and substandard medical supplies.

The “Prime TG” diagnostic cartel

After the August 5 political upheaval last year, a diagnostic center named “Prime TG” opened steps from DMCH allegedly controlled by Dr Javed, Dr Sumon, and associates.

Agents reportedly roam hospital corridors, physically assaulting rival clinic staff, threatening nurses, and coercing patients into using Prime TG often charging extra fees.

Other diagnostic centers Revive, Dhaka Diagnostic, Health Aid also deploy aggressive agents, turning patient care into a cutthroat commission game.

Brokers rule the wards

The hospital’s Gynecology Ward (212) and Neurosurgery & Surgery Outdoors have become broker strongholds.

At least 19 known brokers including Zubair, Durjoy, Nirab, Mahbub, Shamim, Masud Rana, and others operate openly, misdirecting patients, demanding bribes, and using political clout to evade consequences.

Some represent Prime TG, others rival centers all feeding off patient desperation.

Administration in denial, law enforcement nowhere

Despite documented threats and intelligence briefings, no meaningful action has been taken. Hospital Director Brigadier General Md Asaduzzaman admits brokers threaten his staff and force patient referrals but claims ignorance of doctor extortion, citing “no formal complaints.”

He also notes Dr Javed is not a hospital employee as if that absolves institutional failure.

DAB leadership, including President Dr Harun Al Rashid and Secretary General Dr Zahirul Islam Shakil, claim ignorance offering to “act if complaints are filed,” despite the climate of fear preventing victims from coming forward.

Intelligence agencies sound alarm. Will anyone listen?

Government intelligence reports recommend an immediate joint operation with law enforcement and the army to dismantle the syndicate. They urge publishing the broker list, making arrests, and taking organisational action against politically protected actors.

Stakeholders warn: if unchecked, this criminal ecosystem will degrade healthcare quality, waste public funds, and ultimately cost lives. The real victims? The millions of ordinary Bangladeshis who come to DMCH seeking care, only to be exploited, extorted, and abandoned.

The question is no longer whether DMCH is compromised, it’s whether the state has the will to reclaim it.