The bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the rule after hearing on a supplementary petition.

Defendants, including the health secretary, the director-general of the Directorate General of Health Services and the director (hospitals and clinics) have been asked to respond within four weeks.

The court fixed November 17 for the next hearing.

Lawyer Dr Bashir Ahmed represented the petitioner and Deputy Attorney General Noor Us Sadiq stood for the state.

In June 2018, Md Shah Alam, treasurer of the Human Rights Lawyers and Securing Environment Society of Bangladesh, filed the writ petition seeking directives to properly follow ‘The Medical Practice and Private Clinics and Laboratories (Regulation) Ordinance-1982’.

On July 24 that year, the High Court issued an interim order after a preliminary hearing.

Following this, the High Court last month asked the private healthcare institutions and diagnostic centres to inform progress on fixing the fees (user fees) of various tests.

At the same time, the court asked the authorities concerned to inform about the progress of enacting a new law updating the ordinance.

A report was presented to the court in this regard.

Earlier, the writ petitioner filed the supplementary application seeking directives to form a health regulatory commission.

Also read: Writ seeks implementation of ACC's recommendations to prevent health sector graft

Dr Bashir Ahmed told reporters that there are such commissions in different countries of the world, including India.

“Patients can complain to the commission about the mismanagement of the hospital and health services. This commission settles complaints of the patients and makes necessary decisions. Complaints are often made about healthcare. That’s why the supplementary petition was filed seeking directives,” he said.

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