Princh Mondal Olif, Bagerhat District Correspondent:

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has temporarily suspended Dr. Kamal Hossain Mufti, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer of Morelganj in Bagerhat, following allegations of serious irregularities, administrative mismanagement, and improper storage of government medicines at the Upazila Health Complex.

The suspension order was issued by the Discipline-2 Branch of the Health Services Division through an official notification signed by Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury. Although the order was signed on Sunday, it reached the Bagerhat health authorities on Monday afternoon.

According to the notification, a recent surprise inspection by the Health and Family Welfare Adviser revealed multiple irregularities, including abandoned hospital buildings being used to store government medicines, saline, syringes, and other medical supplies. Expired medicines were also reportedly found inside a toilet, raising serious concerns about hospital management and public healthcare standards.

The ministry stated that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated under Section 39(1) of the Government Service Act, 2018. Considering the nature of the allegations and the need for an impartial investigation, Dr. Mufti has been placed under temporary suspension. He will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per government rules during the suspension period.

Bagerhat Civil Surgeon ASM Mahbubur Rahman confirmed receiving the suspension order and said the department would implement the ministry's directives accordingly.

Earlier, during a two-hour surprise visit to the Morelganj Upazila Health Complex, Health and Family Welfare Adviser Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain discovered large quantities of government medical supplies stored in abandoned rooms, while expired medicines were found inside a toilet. He immediately instructed the concerned authorities to take appropriate action.

The following day, senior officials from the Khulna Divisional Health Directorate and the Bagerhat Civil Surgeon's Office inspected the hospital. Later, the privately operated “Family Health Clinic and Diagnostic Center,” owned by Dr. Kamal Hossain Mufti, was sealed by the health authorities.