The Testing Kit That Could Have Helped (Bangladesh) 2020

🦠 COVID-19, Suppression of Innovation & Political Pressure: The Full Story of Dr. Raju Ahmed Dipu

👤 Who is Dr. Raju Ahmed Dipu?

Dr. Raju Ahmed Dipu is a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur and former Co-Treasurer of the Bangladesh Nationalist Youth Party (BNP) 2011 -2017, Central Executive Committee. He became a national voice during the COVID-19 crisis for challenging the official narrative and offering practical health solutions.

🧪 A Breakthrough Initiative: The Testing Kit That Could Have Helped

On 6 April 2020, Dr. Dipu posted a video announcing his donation of 98.8% accurate COVID-19 test kits sourced from China. The donation was offered free of cost to the people of Bangladesh, amid rising fatalities, shortage of ICU beds, PPE, oxygen, and diagnostics.

The video was shared over 500,000 times in 24 hours, shaking public discourse and exposing government unpreparedness during the early pandemic phase.

⚠️ Direct Suppression and Alleged Threats

Following the explosion of Dipu's video online, multiple Facebook pages and accounts that reshared it were taken down within days. His own page was targeted with repeated strike reports monthly.

According to Dr. Dipu:

• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina personally instructed a DGFI team to put pressure on his father and mother in Bangladesh.
• The DGFI operatives, allegedly dispatched directly from the Prime Minister’s Office, visited the family and issued threats, demanding the video be deleted.

This incident marked a sharp escalation from digital suppression to alleged state intimidation of family members, simply for a public health initiative.

💼 Ethical Refusal of a $200 Million Offer

Shortly after, Dr. Dipu reported that intermediaries offered a business deal:

• His test kits would be purchased and distributed—but only if the price was increased from BDT 300 to BDT 2,000.
• The deal included equal profit-sharing, with estimated revenue of over $200 million USD.

Dr. Dipu refused, condemning it as an attempt to profit from a public emergency, and posted further exposés criticising corruption and leadership failure.

🛑 Silenced for His Political Identity

As a known BNP-affiliated youth leader, Dr. Dipu was seen by the ruling government not just as an innovator—but a political threat. His ability to inform, expose, and inspire public action made him a target of censorship and retaliation.

His criticism of the Health Minister’s public confusion between “PPE” and “PPP,” and his correction of unscientific advice from PM Sheikh Hasina, only further amplified tensions.

Ashraful Alam Khokon Was Deputy Press Secretary PMO

Truth vs Propaganda by Mohammad A. Arafat

🛡️ Fleeing for Safety: Life in Exile

Dr. Dipu had already fled Bangladesh in 2018, following what he described as fabricated criminal charges and threats tied to powerful ministers. Now residing in Germany under political protection, he continues to speak publicly through social media platforms.

📣 The Impact of His Video

Despite being taken down, the video served as a turning point:

• It raised massive national awareness of the pandemic’s severity
• Exposed weaknesses in public health infrastructure
• Sparked outrage over government statements and inaction
• Encouraged civic organisations and independent media to push for accountability

❓ Key Civic Question: Who Orchestrated the Suppression?

According to Dr. Dipu’s firsthand claims:

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the DGFI to suppress my video, and my parents were threatened to erase the truth. I had no choice but to expose what the public deserved to know.”

This allegation, if verified, would represent a direct abuse of state machinery for political censorship—targeting not just dissent, but public service.

📌 Editorial Statement:
This article presents allegations based on public testimony and documented digital evidence. BangladeshKnowledge.com does not draw legal conclusions, but serves to document civic claims for public memory and future accountability. We encourage independent investigations, media freedom, and the protection of innovation and dissent.