Pahartali Eye Hospital founder Rabiul sued over alleged embezzlement of Tk849cr

Eye specialist and founder of Chattogram Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC), widely known as Pahartali Eye Hospital, Prof Dr Rabiul Hossain, along with three other trustees, has been sued for allegedly misappropriating Tk849.83 crore from the funds of the CEITC Trust.

MA Malek, editor of Dainik Azadi, filed the case with Khulshi Police Station on Thursday (15 February), said Sheikh Mohammad Niamat Ullah, officer-in-charge of the police station.

The other accused in the case are Md Mostafizur Rahman, Md Jahangir Alam Khan, and Kazi Md Ahidul Alam.

The case came after Prof Rabiul allegedly terminated MA Malek from the board of trustees of CEITC.

According to the case statement, Prof Rabiul served as the managing trustee of CEITC while also chairing the Imperial Hospital Limited (IHL), a concern of the trust. The allegations suggest that during his tenure, Prof Rabiul engaged in irregularities, nepotism, and corruption, resulting in the embezzlement of crores of taka.

MA Malek told The Business Standard that Prof Rabiul had been treating the IHL as his "personal property".

"Due to his mismanagement and autocracy the hospital incurred a loss of Tk400 crore in just four years. When the board asked for a detailed account of the hospital he resigned without submitting the account," he added.

"Moreover, Prof Rabiul dismissed my trusteeship through a letter unlawfully which forced me to file the case against him and other trustees," MA Malek said.

When contacted, Prof Rabiul told The Business Standard that he was not aware of the case and the accusations brought against him.

"I have been serving as a trustee of the CEITC for over 40 years. I have dedicated my entire life to the well-being of society. It is very sad to know that I have been accused of embezzling funds from the organisation I founded and have been running successfully for over four decades," he added.

A group of ophthalmologists led by Prof Rabiul established CEITC in 1973 with the triple objectives of prevention, cure and rehabilitation of the blind and visually handicapped with an initial modest fund equivalent to $100.

Within a year, the organisation started its outreach activities by setting up a 40-bed Eye Hospital with an attached out-patient department in a loaned space at Anderkilla in Chattogram city. It was later shifted to the Pahartali area in the city and grew into a trusted international standard facility for eye related diseases in the country.

In 2015, Prof Rabiul took an initiative to establish another international standard hospital named Imperial Hospital at the cost of Tk800 crore. The CEITC Trust was the owner of 78% of the shares of the hospital while other investors had 22% of the shares. The CEITC Trust had to borrow Tk400 crore including Tk200 crore from the World Bank to construct the hospital. 

Prof Rabiul served as the chairman of Imperial Hospital Limited (IHL) board of directors. The Imperial Hospital came into operation in 2020 just before the Covid-19 pandemic and sustained substantial losses during the pandemic and could not recover thereafter.

Meanwhile, in 2022, MA Malek was elected chairman of CEITC Trust and things started to change. In 2023, Prof Rabiul had to resign from the post of chairman. Wahid Malek, son of MA Malek, was made the chairman of IHL.

In December 2023, Prof Rabiul's son Dr Rajib Husain, who was performing the duty of director (operation), was terminated.