Health Minister’s condition for appointing civil surgeons: E-GP and DDO passwords must be provided!

Special Correspondent

July 26, 2026, Dhaka.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has taken to the field to take control of everything from contracting work in the infrastructure sector of government hospitals to the supply of medical equipment and medicines.

Multiple internal sources have said that the Health Minister has made it a condition for applicants to provide the e-GP (Electronic Government Procurement) password and the DDO (Deputy Director of Audit and Accounts) password in the civil surgeon recruitment process.

Sources said that a message is being sent to the civil surgeon candidates through people close to the minister that all tenders’ e-GP and city access will have to be handed over to the persons instructed by the ministry. It has been alleged that civil surgeons who did not agree to this condition are being scolded and harassed on various pretexts. And only those who have agreed to the said condition are being considered for the appointment of civil surgeons, according to internal sources.

An official who was harassed, on condition of anonymity, told BD Digest, “Such pressure is being applied to completely control a sensitive sector like medical supplies in government hospitals. Those who refuse to cooperate in this are being pressured by raising other charges.”

But those involved in the medical supply sector say that the purpose of pressuring the government to take the password of the EGP site is to take control of the tender process and hand over billions of taka worth of business, such as all medical equipment supplies and medicine supplies, to the Health Minister’s trusted people.

The allegations of forming a syndicate in the contracting work of the Ministry of Health have raised new questions about transparency and accountability in the health sector. The officials concerned have demanded an investigation into the allegations and the termination of the minister’s mission.

However, after taking office as a minister, Sakhawat Hossain has repeatedly said that no syndicate will operate in the ministry and that he will take a strict stance against corruption.

When the Health Minister was called and sent a message on WhatsApp to ask for his statement on the matter, he did not respond.