Patients at Rajarhat Upazila Health Complex in Kurigram are reportedly being charged Tk5 for tickets officially priced at Tk3, raising concerns over overcharging, staff absenteeism, and delays in medical services. Investigations found that multiple patients, including locals from Chakirpasha, Nazimkhan, and Rajarhat unions, were consistently asked for the higher fee, with staff members at the counter lacking proper identification as hospital employees.
A field investigation found multiple instances of such irregularities.
At the 50-bed facility, outpatients are required to obtain tickets before consultations. Although the government set the price at Tk3, patients were routinely charged Tk5. Investigators observed that the ticket counter displayed no price list.
When tickets were requested from staff members Babli Roy and Sujan Kumar Roy, they demanded Tk5. On presenting a Tk20 note, Tk15 was returned, and a ticket with serial number 107 was issued.
Subsequent purchases, including a ticket under the name Sohel with serial number 109, followed the same pattern. When asked about the extra charge, Babli initially insisted, “Tickets cost Tk5,” but later denied overcharging after being identified as a journalist. Both individuals confirmed they were not official hospital employees.
Several patients corroborated these claims. Merina Begum from Chakirpasha Union, Asma Begum from Nazimkhan Union, and Halima Begum and Nuri Begum from Rajarhat Union said they too were charged Tk5. A college student named Suchi reported a similar experience.
Sources said the outpatient department receives around 450–500 patients daily. If each ticket is overcharged by Tk2, the hospital could be collecting an extra Tk900–1,000 daily, approximately Tk27,000–30,000 monthly, and around Tk324,000–360,000 annually.
Further irregularities were observed in patient services. In room 107, patients waited around 15 minutes without the attending doctor appearing. Outside the X-ray room, patients crowded despite the absence of medical technologist Nazmul Islam, who could not be located at the time. A relative of a patient said he was advised to return the next day as the X-ray machine lacked film, expressing frustration over the hospital’s inefficiency.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Ariful Islam acknowledged the complaints, saying, “The overcharging issue will be examined seriously.” On whether the excess revenue reached the hospital treasury, he said, “Confirmation will require information from the accountant.”
He added that service delays were also due to the unavailability of X-ray film and a pending electricity bill of around Tk800,000, which hampers machine operation.
Locals fear that without prompt corrective measures, these long-standing irregularities will continue to burden ordinary patients.
