'Bribe syndicate' active at Bogura's SZMCH, patients forced to pay for services

A culture of bribery and extortion is allegedly rampant at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura, where patients and their families are being forced to pay bribes at nearly every stage of care. From securing a bed to obtaining test reports and even using a stretcher, the 'bribe syndicate' thrives on the desperation of the sick, a recent investigation has found.

One family's experience with 70-year-old Mobarak Ali highlights the severity of the situation. Upon admission to the hospital on June 24, Mobarak was first placed on the floor of the third floor as no beds were available. However, a ward boy named Tarikul soon offered to arrange a bed for a Tk 100 bribe. After the payment, Mobarak was given a bed, where he died the next day.

Earlier, Mobarak underwent an ECG test but was told he would have to wait until the next morning for the report. He was offered the report immediately—if he paid a bribe. He did not, and the report was not provided. His family also alleged that Mobarak's oxygen was disconnected and the ward boy was untraceable for 30 minutes when his condition deteriorated.

After Mobarak's death, another ward boy demanded Tk 450 from the family, claiming it was an ECG bill. When the family asked for a receipt, the ward boy settled for a Tk 100 bribe and left.

Relatives of at least 10 other patients described similar harassment. They said nurses often do not respond to calls for help, and ward boys behave rudely if refused bribes. Using a stretcher costs Tk 200 to Tk 500 without a receipt.

An earlier incident highlights the deadly consequences of this system. In 2021, 18-year-old Bikash, critically injured in a road accident, died after a hospital employee removed his oxygen mask because his family could not pay a Tk 200 bribe. The employee, Asadul Islam Mir Dholu, had demanded Tk 200 to move the stretcher. After Bikash's father gave Tk 150, the employee removed Bikash's oxygen mask out of frustration. Bikash died shortly after. Dholu was later arrested in a case filed by the hospital authorities.

Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Md. Manjur-e-Murshed told Views Bangladesh that complaint numbers are displayed throughout the hospital, but he had not received any such complaints via mobile phone.