This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
COVID-19 Test Scam Rocks Bangladesh ¶
On July 15, 2020, authorities in Bangladesh arrested Mohammad Shahed, a 43-year-old hospital owner, on charges of fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shahed allegedly issued thousands of fake COVID-19 test results to deceive patients, resulting in an estimated loss of $350,000 (approximately Ksh.37,609,670).
According to Col. Ashique Billah, a spokesman for the Rapid Action Battalion, Shahed provided patients with fake negative test results for the novel coronavirus.
Shahed is also accused of charging people for virus treatments and documents certifying they did not contract the coronavirus, despite agreeing with the government to provide those services free of charge.
Billah stated that two medical facilities owned by Shahed conducted approximately 4,000 genuine coronavirus tests, but faked the results of another 6,500.
A court granted police the opportunity to keep Shahed in custody for 10 days for questioning.
Shahed's arrest is not the first instance of medical fraud during the pandemic in Bangladesh. Last week, owners of a different private testing facility were arrested for providing fake COVID-19 test certificates without actually testing people.
South Asia is currently one of the world's coronavirus hotspots, with India expected to hit 1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 within days.
John Fleming, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' health unit for Asia-Pacific, stated, 'Covid-19 is spreading at an alarming rate in South Asia, home to a quarter of humanity.'
