A physician at Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex in Jhenaidah has been accused of neglecting official duties by leaving the hospital during working hours, using a pharmaceutical company's medical representative (MR) for personal agricultural work and allegedly prescribing medicines from low-quality companies in return.

According to allegations, Dr Arun Kumar Mondal, a dermatologist and venereologist, signed the attendance register at the health complex on Wednesday morning but left the hospital around 9:00am instead of attending patients.

He allegedly travelled about four kilometres to his farmland at Narendrapur by the Mallikpur Road with a medical representative, identified as Maruf Hossain, and assigned him to carry out gardening and other agricultural work.

A local resident, Kamruzzaman, alleged that this was not an isolated incident, claiming the doctor had previously used pharmaceutical representatives for personal household work at his residence in Jashore.

He also alleged that the doctor prescribed medicines from certain pharmaceutical companies without medical necessity in exchange for such favours.

A visit to the health complex found that Arun Kumar returned to the hospital nearly two hours later after completing the work at his farmland and resumed seeing patients.

During that time, medical representatives of pharmaceutical companies were seen irregularly managing patient queues outside his chamber.

Contacted, the physician acknowledged taking the representative with him but said it was not a regular practice. "I do not do this regularly. I went out with the medical representative for a specific reason," he said.

Kaliganj Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Amanullah Al Mamun said such alleged irregularities and professional misconduct in a public healthcare facility are unacceptable and that the matter will be reported to the higher authorities.

Jhenaidah Civil Surgeon Dr Md Kamruzzaman said he learned of the allegations and necessary action will be taken following investigation.