Health sector corruption: Contractor Motazzerul Islam Mithu arrested

Motazzerul Islam Mithu, accused of large-scale corruption in the health sector including in the procurement of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic, was arrested from Gulshan last night.

Detectives arrested Mithu at the request of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said Rabiul Islam Bhuiyan, joint commissioner (North DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

"We have already handed him over to the ACC," he told The Daily Star.

Mithu, owner of Lexicon Merchandize and Technocrat, came under scrutiny during the pandemic over allegations of supplying substandard masks, PPE, and other medical equipment.

In October 2019, the ACC had sought a travel ban against Mithu, describing him as a controversial contractor who allegedly embezzled and laundered large sums of money through syndicates operating in the health sector.

ACC officials said Mithu amassed properties worth several crores of taka, including agricultural land, leased plots, and flats, through alleged graft.