Submit reports by Nov 15
A Dhaka court yesterday for the second time directed the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Brahmanbaria Police Station to submit the reports on property attachment of five officials of Rid Pharmaceuticals Ltd by November 15.
Judge Golam Mortuza Majumder of the Drug Court passed the order as the police failed to submit the reports yesterday.
Earlier on September 16, the court ordered attachment of movable and immovable properties of the five Rid Pharma officials, including its Managing Director Mizanur Rahman, in a case filed against them for manufacturing toxic Paracetamol syrup that claimed lives of at least 28 children.
The court the same day also asked the Brahmanbaria police chief to submit their property attachment reports by October 14.
On October 12, Mizanur surrendered before a Dhaka court following a High Court directive and sought bail in the case.
Judge ANM Bashir Ullah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's court fixed October 19 for hearing on the bail petition submitted by Mizanur in his presence.
On August 18, Mizanur's wife Sheuli Rahman, also a director of the company, appeared before the HC, sought anticipatory bail and secured bail for six months in the case.
The case in brief is that 28 children died of renal failures, following intake of Rid's Paracetamol syrup and suspension, across the country from June to August.
Earlier on August 11, the same court issued arrest warrants against the managing director of Rid Pharma, its two directors and two pharmacists after drug superintendent Shafiqul Islam filed the case with the court.
The accused are Rid Pharma Managing Director Mizanur Rahman, directors Sheuli Rahman and Abdul Gani and pharmacists Mahbubul Islam and Enamul Haque. A case against them has been filed in Brahmanbaria as well.
Three other cases have also been filed against Rid Pharma in Comilla, Narayanganj and Sylhet.
In his complaint, Shafiqul Islam said several children died at Shishu Hospital of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city due to renal failure after intake of the Paracetamol drugs of Rid Pharma.
He said the government realised the seriousness in the matter and published advertisements in national dailies asking all not to take any drug manufactured by the company.
On July 22, the Drug Administration sealed off Rid's factory in BSCIC area of Brahmanbaria district following the death of children after taking its drugs.
The government also formed a seven-member probe committee to investigate the matter. On July 29, the probe committee placed its report that found the presence of poisonous diethylene glycol in the Paracetamol syrup of the company.
Rid Pharma used diethylene glycol, meant for tannery and rubber industries, instead of propylene glycol as diethylene glycol costs Tk 200 per litre while propylene glycol costs Tk 1,100.
Later, the government has banned two drugs of Rid Pharma -- Ridaplex (vitamin B-complex syrup), Temset (paracetamol suspension) for their sub-standard quality and harmful effects on public health.
Manufacturing, marketing, preservation, use and sale of the two drugs have also been banned in the country.
Sources at Drug Administration said Rid Pharma received drug-manufacturing licence in 2006 and started marketing 12 drugs. Though the company only had permission for producing Paracetamol suspensions, it started producing Paracetamol syrups.
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