Disgusting disregard

Thirty-one bodies of “premature babies” were found in a dustbin of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal yesterday night.

Conservancy workers of Barisal City Corporation recovered those while cleaning the dustbin behind the hospital building around 9:00pm and informed it to ward master Modasser Ali, who later contacted police.

Modasser said interns of the hospital usually examine and do research with such bodies. “However, those are buried afterwards. I don't know how these bodies made their way into the trash bin.”

The dustbin was very close to the main building of the hospital, adjoining the water tank.

Dr Md Bakir Hossen, director of the SMCH, said, “The bodies of premature babies were used for teaching and learning of the medical students. May be the students or ward boys dumped all of them at a time. It will be asked why they did so as this was not the right way. They were supposed to be properly buried under the soil.”

Dr Khurshid Jahan, head of gynaecology and obstetrics department, and Josna Begum, in-charge of nursing staff, were suspended following the incident.

A three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident, the director said.

Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mosharaf Hossain said they will file a general diary and also prepare inquest report and then the bodies will be sent to the SMCH morgue for autopsy.