Sylhet Bureau :
5 doctors of the 50-bed Beanibazar Upazila Health Complex in Sylhet have been absent from work for years. Despite informing the appropriate authorities about their absence, no results have been obtained. No one is able to tell when the absent doctors will return.
Only 5 doctors are at work against 27 doctors in this hospital.
Recently, when the Sylhet Deputy Commissioner and Civil Surgeon and other government officials visited the hospital, this bleak picture of the health system emerged. Which was largely a secret until now.
Upazila Health Complex sources said that there are only 5 doctors against 27 doctor posts in Beanibazar. Among them, there is 1 health officer, 1 resident medical officer and 3 consultants. However, the consultants do not perform the duties of resident medical officers. They agree to perform their duties only if there is an operation. As a result, there is one doctor providing medical services to about 3 lakh people in the upazila. This situation has been going on in Beanibazar for about 3 years. In the meantime, many doctors have come, joined and then transferred again.
Sources said that Dr. Shegufta Sharmin, Medical Officer of the Emergency Department of Beanibazar Upazila Health Complex, joined on July 1, 2010. He has been absent from work continuously since November 17, 2011. Although he has been absent for 14 years, the authorities have not taken any action against him. Resident Medical Officer Dr. Zubair Ahmed Siddiqui has been absent since May 1, 2023. Indoor Medical Officer Dr. Md. Tanvirul Islam has not come to the hospital since July 5, 2023. Medical Officer Dr. Mocha: Rabia Begum has been absent from work since August 12, 2023. Dr. Md. Nazmul Shakib has not been seen for 3 years. No one knows where these absent doctors are.
Many say that they are staying abroad for higher degrees. Many doctors did not join the workplace even after being posted for various reasons including lack of higher education and improved working environment and political reasons.
Apart from being pro-Awami doctors, there are also reasons such as educational leave, joining elsewhere, not getting a job of their choice among these absent doctors. It is also known that there have been incidents of recommending for a new job after joining the transferred job. This is seriously disrupting the medical services of the hospital.
Beanibazar Upazila Health Officer Dr. Monirul Haque Khan said that some doctors are OSD, some are transferred and some are absent. The matter has been reported to the appropriate authorities.
Sylhet Civil Surgeon Dr. Nasir Uddin said that letters are being sent in stages. What can be done if the appropriate authorities do not take action? Recommendations are being sent to the ministry to take action against the reports coming to us.
After inspecting the Beanibazar Upazila Health Complex last Monday (September 29), Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam said that no more exemptions will be given to absent doctors. Necessary action will be taken through appropriate process. Many people do not want to go to work claiming that there was a bad posting. Now is not the time. The matter will be looked into seriously.
