Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain ordered the immediate withdrawal of the superintendent of the 250-bed Noakhali General Hospital on Tuesday following a surprise inspection that revealed alleged irregularities and mismanagement.
During the inspection on Tuesday afternoon, the minister found evidence of administrative lapses and service-related irregularities.
He promptly directed the withdrawal of the hospital superintendent Dr Md Farid Uddin Chowdhury and assigned the Noakhali District Civil Surgeon Dr Anwar Hossain to serve as the acting superintendent.
The minister also instructed that construction work on the hospital’s new 250-bed building be completed on priority and announced plans to upgrade the existing facility to an additional 250-bed capacity.
Following the inspection, the minister reportedly faced protests by a group of people outside the hospital premises and subsequently left the area.
Later, addressing journalists at the Noakhali Circuit House, minister alleged that the hospital had been held “hostage” by certain individuals appointed over the last 17 years and their associates.
He described the conditions he witnessed as “abominable” and stated that such mismanagement is entirely unacceptable.
The minister confirmed that a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the irregularities.
While acknowledging that the health sector is currently in a state of collapse due to issues originating during the previous government’s tenure, he noted that improvements would be made progressively, as these systemic problems cannot be resolved overnight.
Meanwhile, hospital operations saw visible changes ahead of the minister’s visit. Cleaning activities were intensified across the premises, outpatient ticket distribution was temporarily suspended, and the presence of doctors and nurses increased, causing inconvenience to patients who had arrived from distant areas.
Senior officials, including Noakhali Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shafiqul Islam, Superintendent of Police NM Nasir Uddin, Civil Surgeon Anwar Hossain, District Council Administrator Harun Or Rashid, along with other government officials and BNP leaders, were present during the visit.
