The government on Monday in a notice imposed fees to the free diagnostic test of Covid-19 to prevent misuse.
Tk200 will be collected for giving samples at the designated places and hospitals while Tk500 for home collection.
The health ministry in the notice said people were testing without having any symptoms since it had been free.
So to prevent unnecessary tests and proper management and control of the disease, according to the order, they have levied the fee.
The revenue collected from the tests will be deposited in the government treasury.
All the benefits related to the treatment of government officials and employees will remain unchanged under the health care law 1974.
Government orders regarding treatment of freedom fighters, distressed and poor patients will remain the same.
Bangladesh is conducting the RT-PCR tests to detect the novel coronavirus in swab samples.
Currently, 66 labs across the country are testing those samples under the government’s guidance.
Of them, 48 are public and 18 are private which are taking Tk3,500 fees per test.
But government labs are testing most of the samples every day.