A committee formed during the tenure of the Caretaker Government to probe alleged Irregularities at the Dhaka Shishu Hospital involving its management board has 'mysteriously remained silent' over the months, sources at the hospital said.

The three-member committee comprising Director of Health, a Joint Secretary of the Health and Family Planning Ministry and a member secretary on June 4 last year following widespread allegations of irregularities at the hospital. It was supposed to submit its report in three months.

"The matters which the committee was supposed to look into, included irregularities regarding employment, finance, income and expenses and promotion of the personnel," said a top official of the 305-bed hospital. requesting anonymity.

The then Dhaka Shishu Hospital Management Board consisting of 'top people of the BNP government' went for giving 'permanent status' to 30 personnel working on contract. "This decision was a serious blow to the basic principle of the institution and it violated the recruitment policy of the hospital. This was a typical example of politicisation." the official claimed. In the process, the jobs of 24 in the medicine, six in surgery and three in anaesthesia departments were made permanent. He explained that the Shishu Hospital, since its inception, had been running as a training institute where doctors and other specialists were taken in on contract basis.

It was also claimed that several 'expensive project' concerning electrification and uhring. sewerage and roads in the hospital premises were abandoned 'half finished' while the whole amount for the projects disappeared.’