Government Doctor Faces Scrutiny After Private Hospital Video

A government doctor in Chapainawabganj has come under public scrutiny after he was allegedly seen treating patients at a private hospital during official working hours and was later captured leaving the premises hurriedly when journalists arrived with cameras. The incident, which has since gone viral on social media, has sparked widespread debate over professional ethics and the responsibilities of public healthcare officials.

The doctor at the centre of the controversy is Dr Md Inzamam Ul Haque, who serves as a Medical Officer (Coordinator) at the Chapainawabganj Civil Surgeon’s Office.

According to local sources, the incident took place on Thursday afternoon, 2 July, at Chapai Apollo Hospital in the Arambagh area of Chapainawabganj town. A widely circulated video appears to show Dr Inzamam performing an ultrasonography examination on a patient. Moments later, as several journalists entered the hospital and began filming, he was seen leaving his chair and quickly exiting the building.

Eyewitnesses Minar Ahmed and Sakir Ali said they noticed the doctor rushing out of the hospital, followed closely by journalists carrying cameras. They claimed that after reaching the roadside, the doctor began a Facebook Live broadcast using his mobile phone, stating that he had come to the area to offer prayers. The witnesses later alleged that he had in fact been attending patients at the private hospital instead of carrying out his official government duties.

The footage spread rapidly across social media platforms, prompting a wave of public reactions. Many users questioned whether it was appropriate for a government-employed physician to provide services at a private medical facility during office hours while receiving a public salary. Several commenters called for a transparent investigation to determine whether any professional or administrative regulations had been breached.

In response to the growing criticism, Chapai Apollo Hospital Chairman Md Salauddin and the hospital’s Superintendent, Sri Biswajit, rejected allegations of misconduct. They maintained that Dr Inzamam had visited the hospital during the official midday break and insisted that the situation had been misunderstood. According to the hospital authorities, certain groups were deliberately attempting to discredit members of the medical profession by circulating misleading narratives surrounding the incident.

Repeated attempts to contact Dr Inzamam Ul Haque for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not answer telephone calls. Later that evening, however, he addressed the matter through a post on his Facebook account. In the statement, he said the misunderstanding between himself and the journalists had been resolved and urged members of the public not to make negative or inflammatory comments regarding the incident.

Chapainawabganj Civil Surgeon Dr A K M Shahab Uddin also commented on the issue. He stated that Dr Inzamam had been present with him on official duties from the morning until approximately 12:30 p.m. He added that his office had not yet received any formal complaint alleging that the doctor had attended patients at a private hospital during government working hours. Should such a complaint be submitted, he said, an investigation would be conducted and appropriate legal and administrative action would be taken if any wrongdoing were established.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the longstanding debate surrounding dual practice by government-employed doctors in Bangladesh. While many physicians legally provide private consultations outside official working hours, allegations of treating private patients during government duty periods remain a recurring source of public concern. Health sector observers argue that such claims require impartial investigations to maintain public confidence in the healthcare system while ensuring that both accountability and due process are upheld.