THE write-up on 'unethical practices' of physicians by Mr. Zahid published in your editorial page on August 18 is a sad reality prevailing in most private hospitals and clinics in Bangladesh. Since the patients are 'not to question why' and no such option is there for the pregnant prospective mothers to be shifted to another medical facility, we can not question why caesarian is needed for delivering the baby. The patient's relatives have to follow the attending physician's advice. Given these realities, this possibly unnecessary surgical method has to be accepted. Such a common scenario based on an advice from a so-called professional doctor on the spot is like a robbery in daylight being practiced in many hospitals in our country.
Similarly, in many civil construction and building organisations, including the governmental ones, the so-called professional engineers also tend to benefit financially by accepting and certifying below-standard and poor quality materials for construction and related works.
These two technically-oriented sectors (health care and building construction) are known to have unscrupulous professionals enrich themselves with surplus cash flow. On this issue, this writer strongly feels that our 'lawmakers' in the parliament should enact laws ensuring very harsh punishment, including life-long ban on practicing of their profession, to prevent others from following the suit.
An honest professional
Dhaka
