Medical technologist goes into hiding having ‘embezzled Tk2.5 crore from Covid-19 test fees’
Prakash Kumar Das, a medical technologist (lab) at Khulna General Hospital, embezzled around Tk2.5 crore from corona test fees of abroad bound passengers and has gone into hiding
A Khulna General Hospital medical technologist went into hiding after allegedly embezzling around Tk2.5 crore from Covid-19 test fees.
The hospital's administrator and civil surgeon, Dr Niaz Mohammad, confirmed the matter.
Dr Niaz Mohammad said Medical technologist Prakash Kumar Das was in charge of accepting the fees for Covid-19 test samples collected from the people going abroad. For 13 months, Prakash had been falsely lowering the number of people who came for tests.
Suspecting foul play, an inquiry committee was formed against Prakash on 22 August and it uncovered his fraud.
The district's civil surgeon said an explanation was sought from Prakash on 22 September and he was supposed to provide it on the following day.
"But Prakash left office at noon that day without informing anyone and has not returned yet. He was not found at his home either," he said.
According to the civil surgeon, the amount of embezzled money was about Tk2.58 crore. The Department of Health and the Health Ministry have already been informed of the incident, he added.
Dr Niaz Mohammad also added that the process of filing a case against Prakash was underway.
