Sanitary Inspector's Office in Patuakhali's Bauphal Lies Locked and Neglected, Residents Denied Services

No regular official work has been carried out for a long time at the designated office of the sanitary inspector in Bauphal upazila of Patuakhali. Left unused, the office premises have accumulated garbage and become overgrown with bushes, and people coming for essential services and health advice are suffering as a result.

A spot visit on Tuesday morning found the sanitary inspector's office, located in the old hospital area of Bauphal upazila, locked. Garbage lay scattered all around, the adjoining government land was covered with trees and bushes, and equipment for making quilts and mattresses was stored on the veranda. There was not even a signboard in front of the office. Altogether, the building lies in an abandoned state.

Local residents complain that sanitary inspector M M Shahabuddin is not regularly found at the designated office. Ordinary people do not even know where he sits to do his official work, so many have to return without receiving the services they came for.

Service seeker Sohel Rana said, “You cannot find the officer when you come to this office for necessary work. The office stays closed. We are also in trouble over where to go to get the service.”

Another service seeker, Mamun Hawlader, said, “Such a condition of an important government office is unacceptable. Garbage and bushes have gathered all around the office, although this department's very job is to ensure a hygienic environment.”

Sanitary inspector M M Shahabuddin said, “There has been no electricity connection at the office for about five months. Since the connection was cut during the floods, I have not sat there. Besides, with various field-level duties, it is not possible to sit at the office regularly.”

However, an electricity connection was seen at the office during the spot visit. With no regular activity for a long time, the furniture inside is also on the verge of being ruined.

Bauphal Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Abdur Rauf said, “The office needs to be repaired. That is why the sanitary inspector sits in the head assistant's room at the Upazila Health Complex to do official work. The higher authorities will be informed about renovating the office.”

Meanwhile, an employee of the health complex, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he did not know for certain where the sanitary inspector sits to work, though he had heard the officer works at field level.