Addressing White Collar Crimes in the Health Sector Caused during the COVID Situation in Bangladesh

Talukdar Rasel Mahmud

doi:10.53808/KUS.2026.23.01.1225-lw

Authors

Talukdar Rasel Mahmud Law Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53808/KUS.2026.23.01.1225-lw

Keywords:

White collar crime, pandemic, economic gain, health sector, law

Abstract

This paper examines the commission of white collar crimes in the health sector during the COVID-19 pandemic in five divisional cities of Bangladesh. Based on 1000 face-to-face interviews with doctors, patients, consumers of COVID-19 protective products, law enforcement personnel, lawyers, judges, journalists and local representatives, this study identifies recurring concerns relating to fake COVID-19 test certificates, procurement irregularities, substandard personal protective equipment, price profiteering in essential health products, weak institutional monitoring and enforcement. Rather that treating all incidents as judicially established crime, the paper distinguishes between respondent perceptions, reported allegations, investigations and adjudicated cases. The finding suggest that Bangladesh’s existing anti-corruption, procurement, criminal and professional regulatory frameworks contain relevant legal tools, but their preventive effect was weakened by poor monitoring, limited transparency, inter-agency collaboration gaps and delayed enforcement. It recommends practical reforms, including real-time procurement disclosure, independent quality verification of medical supplies, digital verification of health certificates, stronger inter-department procurement coordination and citizen accessible complaint and reporting tools for future public health emergencies.

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Legislations:

Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004.

Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009.

Penal Code, 1860.

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

Public Procurement Act, 2006.

Public Procurement Rules, 2008.