Nilphamari Hospital Superintendent Accused of 200 Million BDT Fraud

A massive financial scandal has surfaced at Nilphamari General Hospital, where allegations of systemic embezzlement, “ghost” fuel procurement, and fraudulent invoicing have reached a staggering 200 million BDT. At the heart of the controversy is the hospital’s Superintendent, Dr Abu Hajjaj, who is accused of orchestrating a four-year campaign of corruption through the gross abuse of his administrative powers.

The “Invisible” Diesel Scam

One of the most audacious claims involves the hospital’s backup power system. Despite a stable national grid and a lack of significant power outages in the region, the administration allegedly withdrew nearly 30 lakh BDT for generator diesel. Hospital insiders and local sources suggest that the generator was rarely, if ever, utilised, yet regular bills were processed for fuel that existed only on paper.

Institutionalised Extortion and Ghost Billing

Contractors providing supplies to the hospital have come forward with allegations of a mandatory “5% commission” rule. Under the guise of “audit expenses,” the administration reportedly demanded a 5% kickback on all Medical Store Rules (MSR) invoices before payments were authorised.

The corruption reportedly extends into almost every operational sector:

Sanitation: Hundreds of thousands of BDT were billed for cleaning services that were never visibly performed.

Transport: Hospital ambulances—intended for emergency patients—were allegedly diverted to transport private and commercial goods to Rangpur.

IT Services: False vouchers were generated for information technology upgrades and maintenance that never took place.

Estimated Financial Irregularities (Last 4 Years)

A Culture of Impunity

Staff members, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the Superintendent’s four-year tenure as an “autocracy.” They allege that outsourcing recruitment was rife with nepotism and that lucrative contracts for hospital linens (MSS) were handed to the Superintendent’s inner circle without transparent bidding.

There is growing suspicion that Dr Hajjaj has remained in his post despite these numerous objections due to his alleged “influential ties” with senior health officials in the Rangpur division and the Ministry of Health.

Demand for a Special Audit

Local activists and hospital staff are now calling for a high-level, independent forensic audit. They argue that any investigation conducted while the accused remains in office will be a “mere eyewash.” They believe a neutral inquiry into the last four years of accounts would expose a loss to the state exchequer exceeding 20 crore BDT.

Despite repeated attempts to contact Dr Abu Hajjaj for his perspective on these serious allegations, he has refused to provide a statement.