The government has moved to blacklist 14 suppliers with ties to alleged graft in equipment and machinery procurement for medical colleges and hospitals.

Recommended by the Anti-Corruption Commission, the health ministry ordered the Directorate General of Health Services on Jun 9 to ban those suppliers and their companies.

One of the blacklisted suppliers is Rubina Khanam, owner of Rahman Trade International and Rupa Fashion, a clothing store. She is the wife of DGHS accountant Abzal Hossain.

Other blacklisted suppliers are Abdullah Al Mamun, owner of Anik Traders, Munshi Farrukh Hossain, owner of Ahmed Enterprise, Manzur Ahmed, owner of SK Traders and Manila Medicine, Mohammed Joynal Abedin of Ovi Drugs, Md Alamgir Hossain of Albira Pharmacy, Mohammad Mintu of S Traders, Md Abdus Sattar Sarkar and Md Ahsan Habib of Mercantile Trade International,  Md Zaher Uddin Sarkar of Bengal Scientific and Surgical Company, Asadur Rahman of Universal Trade Corporation,  Aftab Ahmed of ASL and Moksedul Islam, owner of Blair Aviation, reports bdnews24.com.

In its letter to the DGHS, the health ministry mentioned that multiple cases have been filed against the 'dishonest' contractors.

On December 12, the ACC wrote to the cabinet secretary recommending the blacklisting of the companies as they found primary proof of irregularities where the companies formed a syndicate and supplied unnecessary equipment at an exorbitant price. A copy of the letter was sent to the health ministry and DGHS.

Some "dishonest" employees of the DGHS, medical colleges, hospitals and other organizations were involved in the procurement of medical and surgical requisites, heavy machinery or services at rigged prices, according to the letter.

In some cases, the authorities paid the bills even though the products were not supplied. "It cost the government a large sum of money."

Following investigations, the ACC filed cases against those companies over the past years.

DGHS received a letter from the ACC recommending the blacklisting of some companies over alleged graft and they will investigate the matter, said Habibur Rahman Khan, convener of the media cell of the directorate.

DGHS Director-General Abul Kalam Azad did not respond to multiple calls from this news agency, while Additional Director General Nasima Sultana refused to speak.

"We have a team to monitor the graft and irregularities in the health sector and we have filed some graft cases based on their investigation. We have advised the government to take action against corruption several times," said ACC Secretary Muhammed Dilowar Bakht.