Death of Raifa: Receiving threats to withdraw case, says father

Rubel Khan, father of toddler Rafida Khan Raifa -- who died in a private hospital in Chattogram last year, due to alleged negligence in treatment -- yesterday alleged that he was being threatened to withdraw the case that he had filed with Chawkbazar Police Station in this connection.

Rubel, a senior reporter of the Bangla daily Samakal's Chattogram bureau, made the allegation before the probe body formed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to investigate into the allegation of wrong treatment.

The four-member probe body, led by the ministry's Joint Secretary Saifullahil Azam, spoke with Rubel at Chattogram Circuit House.

Rubel told The Daily Star that he informed the probe committee about the threats he received for withdrawing the case. He, however, declined to disclose the name of the person who issued the threat.

Contacted, Azizur Rahman Siddique, civil surgeon in Chattogram and member secretary of the probe body, declined to make any comment about it.

Raifa, 3, died on June 29 last year at Max Hospital after she was admitted there with pain in her throat. Her father filed a case on July 18 over negligence in treatment.