The advisers of the interim government served for only 18 months. During that period, several of them claimed government-funded medical expenses amounting to millions of taka.
According to information obtained from the Cabinet Division, former Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain alone claimed Tk8,191,488 for medical treatment, the highest amount among the advisers.
Khalid Hossain, who suffers from a heart condition, underwent treatment in Thailand. With government approval, he travelled there twice, once at the end of last year and again at the beginning of this year, where he underwent surgery.
During his first visit, he was accompanied by a physician, while his daughter and son-in-law accompanied him on the second trip.
Asked about the expenses, Khalid acknowledged receiving treatment with government approval. He said he continues to suffer from health complications but cannot afford to return for further treatment because of the high cost.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis travel abroad for medical treatment. Before 2024, an estimated 15 to 17 lakh Bangladeshis travelled to India annually under medical tourism. Although the situation has changed since then, India remains the preferred destination for many patients. Thailand and Singapore are the next most popular destinations, attracting a significant number of Bangladeshi patients each year.
Asked whether successive governments had consistently failed to improve the country's healthcare sector in light of those statistics, Khalid gave a candid response.
“Certainly, there have been failures. Why have we failed to build even a single world-class hospital after all these years? We could not establish a hospital like Mount Elizabeth. Thousands of crores of taka are looted from banks and siphoned abroad. Had quality healthcare been available at home, such huge expenses would not have been necessary. I, too, have spent a substantial amount on medical treatment. Would anyone go abroad if proper treatment were available in the country? It is not a pleasure trip,” he said.
When asked why he had not raised concerns about the healthcare sector during advisory council meetings while serving in Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’ cabinet, Khalid said advisers and ministers could not always act on their intentions because of bureaucratic complexities.
Although the interim government initially began with 16 advisers, several more were later appointed as special assistants and in other capacities.
During the administration's 18-month tenure, many of them claimed government-funded overseas medical expenses. They included Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan.
Dr Salehuddin Ahmed claimed Tk7,938,229 from the state treasury for overseas medical treatment during the interim government's tenure, making it the second-highest reimbursement among the advisers. He served as governor of Bangladesh Bank from 2005 to 2009.
Responding to questions about his treatment abroad, Salehuddin said, "I carried out my duties with utmost honesty. At one stage, I developed health complications that could not be diagnosed in the country. I was then compelled to seek the government's approval through due process before travelling to Singapore for treatment. I received treatment there on three occasions."
During the interim government's tenure, Salehuddin presented the Tk7 lakh 90 thousand crore national budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Of that amount, Tk41,908 crore was allocated to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Despite the allocation, hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis continue to travel abroad every year for medical treatment.
After Khalid Hossain and Salehuddin Ahmed, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain claimed the third-highest overseas medical reimbursement, receiving Tk870,744. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki claimed Tk715,649.
Power Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan claimed Tk539,935, while Land Adviser Hasan Arif received Tk267,216. Education Adviser Dr M Aminul Islam claimed Tk235,729, and Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder received Tk170,134.
Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud claimed Tk67,367, while Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan received Tk31,052. Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Dr Anisuzzaman claimed Tk21,800, and Adviser with the rank of state minister Sheikh Moinuddin received Tk4,160 for medical expenses.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said government rules allow ministers and officials holding the rank of state minister to receive government-funded medical treatment if they fall ill. In emergencies, treatment abroad may also be arranged. However, he stressed that such support is not a monthly or annual medical allowance.
He said all reimbursements must comply with the prescribed rules and regulations.
"The government pays medical expenses only after proof of illness and submission of the necessary bills and vouchers. If money has been disbursed without the required documents, whoever received the funds did so in violation of the rules. At the same time, those who approved and released the money cannot evade responsibility for the irregularity," he said.
"The matter requires a thorough investigation. Those responsible should be identified and held accountable. The process through which the funds were approved and released also needs to be examined," he added.
According to Iftekharuzzaman, the government has set examples of transparency in official foreign travel, and the same standards should apply to medical reimbursements.
"It must be clearly established through an investigation how funds were released without the required bills and vouchers," he said.
Source: Agamir Somoy
Translated by AM/ Bd-Pratidin English
