Fourteen alleged brokers, including a woman, have been sentenced to jail terms after a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raid at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) over allegations of harassing and defrauding patients.
A plainclothes team of RAB-14, led by Company Commander Shamsuzzaman, conducted the operation from Wednesday morning until noon.
RAB initially detained 20 people during the raid. Six were later released after investigators found no specific evidence against them.
The remaining 14 were produced before RAB Executive Magistrate Md Abu Hasan, who sentenced them to different jail terms and imposed financial penalties. Their mobile phones were also seized.
Those convicted include Shafiqul Islam, 40, Shila Akhtar, 50, Jibon Hossain, 28, and Tutul Amin Sharif, 40, from Baghmara area; Rafiq Ali, 45, from Krishnapur; Imran Badsha, 30, from Kalikapur; Md Asad, 47, from Akua; Ahsan Ullah, 37, from Ghagra; Monir, 45, from Charpara; Anis Hossain Rocky, 40, from Bhatikashor; Md Rana, 30, from Maskanda; Sohag Mia, 30, from Bhatikanda; Monir Hossain, 37, from Muktagacha; and Akhtaruzzaman, 31, from Olipur in Kurigram district.
Additional Superintendent of Police Md Shamsuzzaman of RAB-14 said the broker network had surrounded the hospital to target vulnerable patients, particularly those arriving from rural areas.
He said the brokers would approach patients by promising better treatment at private hospitals, but often left them in difficult situations and forced them to spend additional money.
RAB Executive Magistrate Md Abu Hasan said the operation was launched following repeated complaints from patients and their relatives about harassment and exploitation.
“Such operations will continue in the public interest,” he said.
MMCH Deputy Director Zakiul Islam said the hospital regularly treats between 3,500 and 4,000 patients despite having an official capacity of only 1,000 beds.
He said many patients and their families become victims of brokers at different stages while seeking medical services.
Welcoming the RAB action, Islam said reducing the influence of broker groups would help improve the hospital environment, although monitoring activities outside the hospital premises remained difficult.
He urged people to remain cautious and said private clinics could not replace the services provided by the medical college hospital.
