Fraud has been detected in the installation of a lift for the new ICU unit under construction at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. The contractor has been given a letter to remove the lift within a week. But after two weeks, the contractor did not remove the lift. There have been allegations of trying to steal that lift.
However, the authorities say that this lift is cancelled. It must be removed. A meeting has been called in Dhaka on this next Sunday. Another committee has also been constituted for re-investigation. That committee is also scheduled to come to Rajshahi on Sunday.
In this regard, Public Works Department Supervising Engineer Fazlul Haque told Prothom Alo on Friday that a meeting will be held with the elevator supplier on Sunday. They will remove this lift and install a new one. He said, the tender called for a fire lift (fire retardant). But it is only a passenger lift. This lift must be removed. The lift will be arranged by the contractor. Because, to bring this lift from outside, it will cost one and a half million rupees. The job has expired. If the contract with the contractor is canceled at this moment, the government will lose one and a half crore rupees.
Fazlul Haque said that careful attention will be kept on the matter, it is inspected before the lift arrives. It is called ‘psi’. Last time PSI was not possible due to Corona situation. This opportunity is probably exploited by the contractor. The rule is that from the country where the lift will come, an official will go there and sign some specifications. When he comes to Bangladesh, the official will check whether the lift he signed for has arrived or not. Then there will be no chance to make two numbers.
A letter was sent to the concerned contractor on May 7 to remove the lift after the fraud was detected in the installation of the lift. After two weeks, the contractor did not remove the lift.
Regarding this irregularity, a report was published in Prothom Alo on March 9 with the title ‘Allegation of irregularities in the installation of lifts against the contractor’. After that, a committee was formed to verify whether the tender of 1,600 kg passenger cum bed lift under a project is correct or not according to the specification.
The report of this committee is available on May 6. The report revealed that the lift was not installed as per specification. An ‘A’ grade lift was sought. ‘C’ grade lift provided. The price difference of these two lifts is about half a million rupees. A ‘fire protected’ lift was again sought. General lift provided. Due to this irregularity, the contractor was directed to remove the lift within seven days. Two weeks have already passed but the lift has not been removed. The Public Works Department has also not taken any decision in this regard.
Meanwhile, a public works source said, the contractor has started racing to get the lift to the hospital authorities. After receiving the letter, he is no longer picking up this reporter’s phone.