CCC mayor warns ambulance drivers against holding patients hostage over fare

Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Shahadat Hossain today warned that ambulance drivers who exploit patients and their families by charging excessive fares or holding them hostage during emergencies will face strict action.

"I am throwing a challenge – let's see who is stronger! I will not let Chattogram be taken hostage," the mayor declared while addressing a view-sharing meeting on ambulance fare regulation, held at the conference room of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). The meeting was presided over by CMCH Director Brigadier General Taslim Uddin.

Mayor Shahadat said that the fare structure agreed upon in 2018 is still in effect. However, considering the changes in cost over the past seven years, there is scope to reassess the rates – but only in a transparent and policy-driven manner, not through exploitation.

"I have seen that when a patient dies, some ward boys strategically call a specific ambulance. This is a type of business involving fourth-class employees, certain influential individuals, and even political leaders," he said. "To break this syndicate, we must hold coordinated meetings involving multiple stakeholders. It's not enough to just make policies – they must be implemented through rigorous monitoring and surveillance."

He warned that failure to reform the current system would lead to widespread corruption. "We will not tolerate any irregularities, exploitation, or corruption. I am prepared to go as far as necessary. We will not play with people's lives," he said.

Addressing irregularities in pharmacies near CMCH, the mayor alleged that some shops disregard standard pricing for medical products, charging inflated rates for items such as gloves, masks, and hand sanitizers. "They form syndicates, manipulate supply, and turn the hospital's vicinity into a 'heaven of looters,'" he said.

"In such a situation, I say – the city corporation's magistrate team will be on the ground, and the law will be enforced if necessary," the mayor added. "If we want to ensure public health, we must first stop this dishonest business and exploitation in and around the hospital."