Members of Pac at a meeting termed the irregularities as 'robbery' and asked the ministry to clarify the anomalies at the next meeting.

Quoting audit reports, the committee said the civil surgeon's offices in Sherpur, Jessore, Jamalpur, Naogaon and Mymensingh bought the equipment in the fiscal 1995-96 and 1997-1998 at much higher rates than the original prices.

The meeting said the civil surgeons bought leucoplast at Tk 845 against the market price of Tk 105, slide at Tk 850 against the real price of Tk 90, gloves at Tk 145 against the real price of Tk 10, microscope at Tk 750 against the real price of Tk 74, disposal syringe at Tk 6 to 14 against the real price of Tk 3 and tissue at Tk 790 against the real price Tk 40.

"It's obviously a robbery of state money and the guilty should be punished," sources quoted committee Member Sultan Mahmud Babu as saying.

Dr Ziaul Haque Mollah, a ruling BNP lawmaker on the committee, wanted to know whether any action had been taken against the civil surgeons involved in the corruption in line with the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee on the health ministry of the seventh parliament.

The officials of the ministry could not explain the corruption and sought time to clarify the issue.

Committee Chairman Harun Al Rashid said the body would discuss the issue at its next meeting and asked the officials of the ministry to come up with a report identifying the guilty.

Committee sources said similar allegations were found against at least 16 civil surgeon's offices and the body would discuss the allegation at its next meeting.

Chaired by Harun, the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban was attended by committee members and officials concerned.