Young housewife sterilised without consent!
Court orders probe as Jaldhaka family planning officer, 4 others sued
Police is investigating a case against Jaldhaka upazila family planning officer (UFPO) and four others on charge of conducting tubectomy upon a young housewife without her consent as the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Nilphamari issued an order in this regard.
Earlier on March 18, the woman's husband filed a case with the court against UFPO Mostafizur Rahman Patwari, Dr Zahid Hasan Loskar, Dr Shakhawat Hossain and family welfare assistant (FWA) Poroshmoni and nurse Kulsum Begum of the health complex in this regard.
The court ordered the officer in charge (OC) of Jaldhaka Police Station to investigate the matter and submit report by April 15.
The victim Sumi Begum, 27, wife of restaurant employee Mizanur Rahman of Cherengi village in Jaldhaka municipality, narrated her tragic tale to this correspondent as he met her yesterday.
"I wanted to adopt a temporary birth control method as I have already a two-year-old daughter. I contacted local family welfare assistant Poroshmoni working under upazila family planning office who took me to Jaldhaka Upazila Health Complex on March 12," she said.
“There I was given an injection that made me senseless. Regaining my sense on the hospital bed, I found that tubectomy was conducted upon me, making me permanently sterile,” said Sumi in a chocked voice.
The victim's mother Marufa Begum said, "Being informed, I rushed to the hospital and asked the upazila family planning officer why her daughter was hoaxed into permanent birth control at such a young age. Then the officer requested her not to expose the matter to anyone."
"We wanted to get another child after a few years but the dream is ruined," said Sumi's husband Mizanur.
When contacted, UFPO Mostafizur Rahman Patwari claimed that the tubectomy was done with Sumi's written consent.
The higher authorities set a target for the upazila family planning office to sterilise 750 people in 2014-2015 fiscal year but only 450 people have undergone the process so far, said sources at the office.
Sumi might be a victim of a desperate attempt to achieve the target, they said.
Officer in charge of Jaldhaka police station Moniruzzaman said police is investigating the matter and will submit report in time as per the court order.