Father pedals own rickshaw for 110km to take baby to hospital

A rickshaw puller had to travel at least 110km to admit his daughter to a hospital for treatment, as ambulance drivers demanded high fare amid the ongoing countrywide lockdown.

It took him nearly nine hours to reach the destination, Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH),  from Thakurgaon, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.

"My seven-month-old Jannat was admitted to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital on April 13 after becoming unwell with blood dysentery," Md Tarek Islam told The Daily Star over the phone today.

"The hospital authority referred her to RMCH as there was no sign of improvement, rather her condition was deteriorating gradually, a day after her admission there," he said.

Tarek had tried his best to arrange an ambulance to take his daughter to RMCH for the next couple of days but ambulance drivers were asking Tk 3,500 to 4,000 for a one-way trip, which he was unable to afford.

As the inter-district bus service remained suspended during the lockdown, Tarek decided to start the journey on his rickshaw yesterday, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.

"The distance seemed never-ending," said Tarek. His wife and mother-in-law were also on the rickshaw with him.

Jannat was admitted after 4:00pm yesterday, said Tarek. "If I hired an ambulance, no money would be left for my daughter's treatment."

Tarek said his daughter was feeling better today and is now undergoing treatment at the RMCH's pediatric ward.

"Tarek has been pulling rickshaw for the last 12 years," said his wife Sultana Begum, who sounded very worried for her daughter.

Tarek has urged affluent people of the society to come forward to help him bear his daughter's treatment expenses.