Faridpur: A Faridpur court on Monday acquitted six of the 12 accused in the controversial Tk 10 crore curtain scam case at Faridpur Medical College Hospital. The case revolved around allegations of corruption in equipment procurement and attempted embezzlement.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the case, leading to a legal battle that captured public attention. The Faridpur Special Judge’s Court Judge Md. Sharifuddin delivered the verdict after the charge framing hearing. The individuals acquitted include Mizanur Raman, an associate professor of the surgical department; Sheikh Abdul Fattah, a former professor of the medicine department; Md. Alamgir Fakir, a former sub-divisional engineer of Faridpur Public Works Department; Abdus Sattar, a social service officer; Omar Faruk, an engineer at Faridpur Medical College Hospital; and Mia Mortaza Hossain, an engineer of Nimue and TC Dhaka Headquarters.
Of the remaining accused, former professor of pediatrics Barun Kanti Biswas and contractor Munshi Kafrul Hossain are currently absconding. The other four-Abdullah Al Mamun of M/s Anik Traders, Munshi Sajjad Hossain, former senior consultant eye Enamul Haque, and Md. Alamgir Kabir of M/s Ali Traders-are out on bail.
The origins of the case trace back to 2015 when contracting firms M/s Anik Traders and M/s Ali Traders supplied goods valued at Tk 10 crore for the ICU department’s opening. Due to non-payment, the companies sought intervention from the High Court, resulting in a directive for an ACC investigation. Subsequently, on November 27, 2019, ACC filed charges against three doctors and three contractors linked to the procurement committee. Over time, the charge sheets underwent revisions, resulting in 12 individuals facing charges as of August 31, 2025.
ACC Public Prosecutor Kubbat Hossain confirmed that April 6 was designated for charge framing, leading to the acquittal of six individuals while the remaining six faced framed charges. Lawyer MA Samad, representing the acquitted parties, criticized the case as a form of harassment, arguing that the contracting companies executed their roles without receiving due payment. He emphasized that high-profile individuals were wrongfully accused of ‘attempted embezzlement,’ and their mere signatures on contract tenders were misrepresented as criminal acts. Despite the accusations, the ICU unit has continued to effectively serve the public over the years.
The case, widely dubbed the ‘curtain scandal,’ gained national attention when it emerged that the cost of ICU curtains alone amounted to Tk 37.5 lakh.