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Jobseekers face trouble in dope testing


Published : 17 Mar 2022 10:25 PM

Due to insufficient dope testing facilities in the capital and other government hospitals, applicants seeking driving license and public services jobs are facing immense difficulties.

Dope testing has been made mandatory for government job applicants as well as for those seeking driving license. The test determines if the applicant has been illegally using drugs to enhance physical as well as mental performance.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the limited dope testing facilities, a number of private hospitals are realizing twice or even thrice the fixed amount in some cases to have the test done.

There are delays in many places where long queues are noticed for dope testing, many frustrated applicants complained. Some of the victims facing delays said that they may have to wait as long as five months to give samples for the test.

  “It’s is absolutely unacceptable. The policy makers should have thought about the consequences before taking such decision of making dope test mandatory. We don’t understand how can only six hospitals serve the entire nation?” asked an aggrieved old man in Malibagh in the capital.

The government has only six hospitals where dope testing is available for the entire country, including only three for the capital.

Due to the government’s obligation, people are being forced to undergo dope tests at various diagnostic centers at a cost of Tk 4,000, where the government hospital fee for dope test is fixed at only Tk 900.

An applicant who came to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) for dope test has to wait for five months to get his ca sample collection. NITOR has capacity to test only 15 samples a day. However, his driving license has only two more months’ validity.

Another victim from Faridpur’s Alladipur Bazar said that on top of scarcity of dope testing facilities applicants are forced to pay twice the fixed amount at private hospitals to get the dope tests done which is very unfortunate.

As per our Mymensingh Correspondent, there is no dope test for drug addiction in government hospitals of Mymensingh division.

Acknowledging the fact District Civil Surgeon Md. Nazrul Islam said that there is an instruction to for dope testing at any government hospital paying a nominal fee of Tk 900. However, it costs Tk 4000 to have the test done at any private clinic. As there is no testing system in Mymensingh Government Hospital, government job applicants as well as candidates seeking driving license have to face difficulties.

Rangpur Divisional Civil Surgeon Dr. Abu Md. Zakirul Islam told Bangladesh Post, “There is no dope test facility in the seven districts of Rangpur Division. However, to make available the facility in the government hospitals talks are underway.”

According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), about 1000 applications for professional licenses are received daily from three offices in Dhaka. Similar pressure was observed in other districts offices too. Discussions are underway with the Directorate of Health to take immediate steps to increase dope tests in Dhaka and other districts.

According to section 24 of the Narcotics Control Act-2018, the government has made dope tests mandatory for government and private employees and transport workers to get drug addiction clearance test.

DGHS Director (Hospital and Clinics) Prof Dr. Md. Farid Hossain Miah told Bangladesh Post, “We have already written to all districts and upazila level hospitals to make dope test facility available. Some hospitals have already called tender and others in the tender process to make the kit and instruments available for dope test.”