BMU accused of sharing 30% of total test revenue, committee orders probe
The committee noted that rules were violated by calculating shares on total revenue rather than net income, directing the subcommittee to investigate crore-level financial irregularities and submit its final report within a week.
The Public Accounts Committee of parliament has ordered an investigation into alleged irregularities involving the sharing of 30% of the total revenue generated from pathological and other diagnostic tests at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU).
The committee has formed a subcommittee to conduct a field-level investigation and submit its final report within one week, committee Chairman and Opposition Deputy Leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told reporters after the committee's first meeting at the parliament building today (8 September).
Taher said, "The university allegedly distributed 30% of total revenue from diagnostic services instead of calculating the share from profit as required under government rules."
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"Eight audit objections relating to BMU were discussed at the meeting. While some objections were settled, the committee decided to investigate the remaining issues," he added.
Explaining the alleged irregularity, Taher said government rules provide for 30% of the profit from diagnostic tests to be distributed among specialists.
Instead, he alleged, the university calculated the 30% share on gross revenue.
"For example, if the income is Tk100 and the expenditure is Tk90, the share should be calculated on the remaining Tk10. But 30% was taken from the entire Tk100," he said.
According to Taher, this resulted in excess payments amounting to crores of taka and constituted a clear violation of government rules.
The committee had ordered that the excess money be recovered and that the university submit monthly progress reports on the process.
The committee would prioritise relatively recent audit objections, particularly those from the 2024-25 fiscal year, rather than focusing first on older unresolved cases.
The aim is to ensure accountability of officials currently responsible.
Audit objections arising during the tenure of the interim government and previous governments will also be reviewed gradually, while cases involving large-scale alleged corruption will receive priority.
Taher further said the committee is responsible for scrutinising government expenditure and addressing audit objections. "To strengthen transparency and accountability, the committee will brief the media after each meeting on the decisions taken."
