Patients Removed from Beds “To Show the MP” – Injured Activists Briefly Admitted, Then Discharged

Nearly a week after taking oath, Chattogram-13 MP Sarwar Jamal Nizam visited Anowara Upazila Health Complex on Monday (23 February) afternoon to inspect the facility and meet party activists injured during the election period. However, the activists he came to see were not already admitted patients.

Hospital authorities reportedly removed several genuine patients already admitted (including those with breathing difficulties) and temporarily placed a few injured party activists on the beds just before the MP’s arrival. The MP spoke to them and took photographs. As soon as he left, the newly admitted activists also left the hospital.

On-the-spot investigation revealed that patients admitted earlier in the morning with various conditions (including breathing problems) were asked to leave their rooms and sit outside. Beds were then given to the injured activists. This caused significant hardship for genuine patients and their attendants. Overcrowding in the emergency and ward areas disrupted movement and delayed treatment services.

An elderly patient admitted with breathing difficulty said: “In the morning we were told to leave this room and sit outside. Then they placed a few injured people from political clashes. The MP talked to them and took photos. He didn’t speak to any of us. As soon as the MP left, they also left.”

An attendant of another patient, requesting anonymity, said: “Our patient was already admitted. But when political people arrived, we were removed. Later we saw they left by afternoon.”

Expressing frustration, another elderly patient said: “I didn’t even get the chance to greet the MP. Due to pressure from party activists, the MP couldn’t even speak about the patients’ sufferings.”

Hospital sources said around 23 patients were admitted in the morning. By afternoon, most of these patients had left. A nurse, requesting anonymity, said: “Please talk to the sir about this. We have the admission list. But right now those patients are no longer in the hospital.”

Denying the allegation over phone, MP Sarwar Jamal Nizam said: “Why would I do such a thing? I spoke to ordinary patients. I wanted to see injured party activists, so they were asked to come here.”

Anowara Upazila Health Complex Family Planning Officer Dr. Mahtabuddin Chowdhury said: “Hearing that activists injured during the election were admitted, the MP rushed to the hospital. The claim of displacing patients is completely false and fabricated. The injured were previously under treatment in private hospitals in Chattogram city and came here for follow-up care.”