Staff Correspondent:
A third-class government employee at Narsingdi District Sadar Hospital has allegedly built a powerful network involving tender manipulation, procurement control, the operation of contracting firms under relatives’ names, use of forged documents, defiance of official transfer orders, and the accumulation of wealth disproportionate to known income sources.
The allegations centre on Mansur Ahmed, a long-serving employee of the health department whose influence is now alleged to extend across multiple districts in Bangladesh’s healthcare sector.
The issue drew national attention after a report published on April 30 in a national daily under the headline “How One Mansur Dominates NarsingdiSadar Hospital.” Following widespread discussion, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reportedly moved to reinstate an earlier transfer order against him.
Transfer Order Reinstated After Alleged Lobbying
According to an order issued on April 21, 2026, signed by DGHS Director (Administration) Professor Dr Jalal Uddin Mohammad Rumi, Mansur Ahmed was transferred from NarsingdiSadar Hospital to KalmakandaUpozila Health Complex in Netrokona.
The order also instructed him to be “stand released” and to join his new workplace within three working days.
However, allegations suggest that Mansur ignored the directive and used political and administrative influence to secure a cancellation of the transfer through another order issued on April 26, allowing him to remain at his previous posting.
Amid mounting criticism, the DGHS reportedly reinstated the original transfer order last Sunday.
Administrative officials say the incident raises serious concerns about institutional discipline, particularly as a third-class employee allegedly managed to overturn an official transfer order and retain his posting.
Government Job, Private Business through Spouse
Mansur Ahmed joined the Narsingdi Civil Surgeon’s Office in 1994 as a lower division assistant and reportedly served there until 2021 before joining NarsingdiSadar Hospital on August 8 that year.
Investigators allege that while serving as a government employee, he established and operated a contracting firm named Tahira Enterprise under the name of his wife, Hure Jannat Swapna, and used it to influence procurement activities within the health sector.
Officials familiar with Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regulations note that public servants are prohibited from directly or indirectly engaging in business activities that create conflicts of interest. Operating procurement businesses through close relatives while serving in the same sector may constitute a clear breach of public service conduct rules.
Allegations of Forged Documents in Public Procurement
According to allegations, Tahira Enterprise secured contracts worth approximately Tk 10.33 million for Medical Surgical Requisites (MSR) supplies at RaipuraUpazila Health Complex during the 2020–21 and 2021–22 fiscal years.
However, questions have reportedly emerged regarding the validity of the firm’s drug licence, chamber of commerce membership, and experience certificates required for participation in MSR procurement.
One of the most serious allegations concerns the use of Chamber of Commerce membership number A-4043, which, according to sources, is actually registered under the name of Bhuiya Telecom, owned by one SumonBhuiya of Raipura Bazaar.
If proven true, legal experts say the matter could involve forgery, fraud, and violations of the Public Procurement Rules (PPR).
Contracts Awarded at His Own Workplace
Allegations further suggest that after joining NarsingdiSadar Hospital in 2021, Mansur Ahmed began exercising influence over procurement activities involving quotations, voucher-based purchases, laundry services, stationery, patient food supply, medical equipment, and reagent procurement through Tahira Enterprise.
The same company has also allegedly been involved in supplying food, linen, laundry, and stationery items to PalashUpazila Health Complex.
Sources claim Tahira Enterprise has also received work orders for the 2025–26 fiscal year involving food supplies, medicines, medical equipment, reagents, and furniture procurement for the 100-bed Narsingdi District Hospital.
Influence Allegedly Spread Across 12 Districts
Investigators claim Tahira Enterprise is currently involved in health-sector contracting activities in at least 12 districts, including Khulna, Kishoreganj, Gaibandha, Satkhira, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Rajbari, Kushtia, Bagerhat, Gopalganj, Sunamganj, and Cumilla.
Officials say procurement records available on the government’s e-GP portal could verify the extent of these contracts.
Questions Over Business Address and Licensing
Investigation-related sources allege that the trade licence, drug licence, and tax identification documents of Tahira Enterprise use the address of Mansur Ahmed’s in-laws’ residence – 189/1 Bilashdi, Narsingdi – instead of his own residence.
Authorities reportedly found no pharmacy operating at that address despite it being listed as a business location in official licensing documents.
Further allegations claim that although Hure Jannat Swapna is married, documents used her father’s name instead of identifying her husband, allegedly to conceal links with a serving government employee.
However, income tax records reportedly identify Mansur Ahmed as her spouse.
Wealth Beyond Known Income?
Questions have also emerged regarding Mansur Ahmed’s financial assets.
Allegations suggest he owns a five-storey residence in Bhelanagar, Narsingdi, estimated to be worth around Tk 40 million. In addition, he and his wife reportedly spent nearly Tk 1.5 million on Travel abroad in 2023 and paid Tk 2.124 million in a lump sum in 2024 for their son’s admission to a private medical college in Dhaka.
Critics question how such expenditures could be financed through the salary of a third-class government employee.
Former ACC officials say the allegations warrant investigation into possible money laundering, illicit financial transactions, and acquisition of assets beyond known sources of income.
Alleged Tender Syndicate
The report also alleges that Mansur Ahmed maintains undisclosed interests in two additional firms – Electro Science and MH Enterprise.
One company reportedly supplies MSR items to the health sector, while the other has long operated outsourcing services.
Together, the three firms are accused of forming a procurement syndicate within Narsingdi’s health sector.
Sources say similar allegations involving tender manipulation were raised against Mansur in 2018 through written complaints submitted by two business entities.
Questions Surrounding New Civil Surgeon
Fresh allegations have also emerged involving the newly appointed Civil Surgeon of Narsingdi.
Critics claim that with the superintendent’s position at NarsingdiSadar Hospital vacant, the Civil Surgeon has assumed additional responsibilities and is exerting influence over tender processes.
There are also allegations that he transferred from Meherpur 250-bed General Hospital to Narsingdi to favour a particular contractor. Tender conditions were allegedly designed in ways that contradict PPR-2025 and limit fair competition.
High Court Issues Rule Over e-Tender
Controversy has intensified over an e-tender notice issued for procurement of MSR supplies for the 2025–26 fiscal year at NarsingdiSadar Hospital.
A contractor filed a writ petition before the High Court alleging that the tender conditions were tailored to benefit a select group while excluding fair competition.
Following the petition, a High Court bench comprising Justice Razik Al Jalil and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury issued a rule last Sunday asking why the published e-tender notice should not be declared unlawful.
Legal analysts say the court’s intervention indicates the presence of prima facie concerns regarding irregularities in the procurement process.
Calls Grow for ACC Investigation
Health-sector experts argue that the allegations point not to isolated incidents, but to an organised corruption network operating within the public healthcare system.
Questions continue to mount over how a third-class employee allegedly gained influence over multi-crore procurement operations across several districts, managed to overturn transfer orders, and simultaneously maintained government employment while allegedly controlling private contracting activities.
The allegations include:
- Conducting business through relatives while serving in government
- Use of forged licences and membership documents
- Conflict of interest in public procurement
- Tender syndication
- Accumulation of wealth beyond known income
- Defiance of transfer orders
- Manipulation of tender processes in violation of PPR regulations
Officials and governance experts say coordinated investigations by the Ministry of Health, DGHS, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Anti-Corruption Commission are now essential.
They argue that only a comprehensive inquiry can determine whether a broader corruption network has taken root within Bangladesh’s healthcare procurement system.
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