Death of 76 children: Verdict now July 22
A Dhaka court has rescheduled for July 22 the verdict in a case filed in connection with the deaths of 76 children by adulterated drugs in the 1990s as two of the accused could not appear before it due to “sickness”.
Judge Abdur Rashid of Dhaka Drug Court shifted the date after accepting a time petition submitted by Ekramuddin Shyamol, a counsel for two, out of five accused.
In the petition, the lawyer mentioned that his clients -- Helena Pasha, director of drug manufacturing company ‘Adflame’ and its manager Mizanur Rahman – could not appear before the court as they became sick today.
Earlier on July 10, the same court fixed today for delivering the verdict.
Helena is suffering from old age complications while Mizanur from diarrhoea, the lawyer said.
After shifting the judgement date, the judge asked Ekramuddin that he must produce his clients before it on the scheduled date.
The duo is being tried along with the rest in absentia for producing paracetamol syrup brand 'Flammadol' that tested positive for the toxic chemical diethylene glycol in tests conducted both at home and abroad.
The case was filed against the company in 1992 and had been stalled since 1994 following an order of the High Court.
The trial resumed after November 11, 2009 following an investigation by The Daily Star and it took more than four and a half years for the case to reach the climax.
The case against manufacturing company Adflame was one of the four that sued separate pharmaceuticals. Three other manufacturers accused of producing the same adulterated paracetamol syrup were Polychem Laboratories Ltd, BCI (Bangladesh) Ltd, and Rex Pharmaceuticals.
The fifth pharmaceutical -- City Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd -- was not prosecuted apparently for having a close connection with the then ruling BNP.
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