The five are a professor of dermatology, an associate professor of ear, nose and throat (ENT), an assistant professor of biochemistry and two lecturers at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College in Bogra. They have been transferred to other hospitals.

While visiting Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogra, the DG found all medical officers and consultants present. He expressed satisfaction and thanked the civil surgeon of the district.

He also found all doctors on duty at Raiganj upazila health complex in Sirajganj and Sherpur upazila health complex in Bogra.

Meanwhile, the health directorate yesterday issued a clarification on a report headlined '24 of 28 docs shunted out for absence', published in the front page of The Daily Star Thursday.

The clarification said the director general made a surprise visit to Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital and not National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). The DG found 28 senior consultants, medical officers and junior consultants absent from duty at the outpatient department. So, it is not correct that 24 doctors out of 28 doctors were punished for not being present on duty during his visit to the hospital from 8:35 to 8:56 in the morning.

The health directorate also said the DG sought immediate action against the absentees from the health minister and ordered transfer of four senior consultants, 15 medical officers and nine junior consultants. They were transferred to different hospitals in Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi divisions.

Meanwhile, steps have been taken to fill up the vacant posts in the hospital. All posts of medical officers were immediately filled up but the posts of junior and senior consultants are yet to be filled up, health directorate sources said.