Staff Reporter :
Bangladeshi officials have become increasingly worried about the fake Covid-19 certificates reportedly used to circumvent travel restrictions enforced to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Even questions also raised about the accuracy of the test results in the authorized labs.
On Monday, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested four members of a fraud ring for allegedly selling fake Covid-19 negative certificates.
Several fake Covid-19 negative certificates and equipment used to manufacture these were also seized from their possession.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen expressed his skepticism over accuracy of the samples being tested for Coronavirus in Bangladesh while addressing a meeting of the National Committee for Covid-19 Prevention held on May 30.
At the meeting, the minister said some Bangladeshi nationals went to Japan and South Korea with a Covid-19 negative certificate after being tested in Bangladesh, but many of them turned out to be positive when they were tested again in those countries.
“It has created a negative impression over receiving Bangladeshi nationals in those countries,” the Minister said at the meeting.
He also emphasized on the need for ensuring quality (accurate) testing for Covid-19 infection, according to the minutes of the meeting.
Later, the Committee decided to expand the testing facilities and ensure accuracy of the tests being conducted.
Japan has very recently restricted chartered flights operated by national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines, alongside the ban on regular flights, when some passengers were found to be positive for Covid-19 upon arrival.
“Following the news of four passengers of a chartered flight to Japan testing positive for Covid-19, we launched an inquiry to find out if there were problems from our side. But, later we found that the responsibility does not fall on us as the Japanese embassy chartered the flights and the passenger list was prepared by them,” Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Momen told the media on Tuesday.
“We do not have any responsibility in this regard,” he said.
The Minister also said that currently, Bangladesh is among the nine countries from where Japan has decided not to allow flights.
In another development, some passengers carrying Bangladeshi Coronavirus-negative medical certificates were found to be Coronavirus positive when they landed in South Korea recently.
“Five of them were identified as Covid-19 positive at the airport,” said Abdul Momen.
“We are very much worried. The concern now is whether the organizations that issued the certificates are recognized institutions or these passengers were buying fake Covid-19 negative certificates to ensure travel,” he said.
Referring to the media reports, the Minister said it costs Tk 5,000 to get a fake Covid-19 negative certificate, which is very worrying.
Regarding the accuracy of test results, the Foreign Minister said a number of private organizations received testing permits in Bangladesh, but there is a need to check whether all their test results were accurate.
“The Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the Health Ministry to take precautionary measures to ensure that test results are accurate,” he said.
When asked, Dr Ayesha Akthar, Deputy Director and a spokesperson at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) told The New Nation yesterday that the issue of fraudulent medical certificates has already come to our knowledge.
“Law enforcement agencies and health department officials are clamping down on sellers of fake medical certificates, reportedly used to evade travel restrictions,” she added.
Rejecting the news of incorrect Covid-19 test reports, Ayesha Akthar, “There is no possibility to produce an inaccurate report by authorized labs as they follow all necessary procedures from sample collection lab test. All these procedure are followed as per global best practices.”
She also said that they are worried about the fraudulent practice to produce fake medical certificates warning that both sellers and buyers of such fraudulent certificates could face charges.
Certificates from hospitals or clinics indicating that the holders have tested negative for Covid-19 are required for those who need to travel for business or work abroad amid Covid-19 pandemic that already spread around the world.
