Treatment Denied: Father takes twins’ bodies to High Court, seeks justice
The High Court yesterday sought explanation from three hospitals in the capital about the death of newborn twins after the mother and the babies were refused treatment.
Bangladesh Islami Bank Hospital, Dhaka Shishu Hospital and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital authorities were asked to explain to the HC in 48 hours why they refused to treat the babies and the mother, who gave birth to the twin babies in a CNG-run three-wheeler on the way to a hospital.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel came up with the order on a suo moto (voluntary) move after Abdul Kalam Azad, the father of the babies, brought the bodies of the babies to the court premises and placed the issue before the bench for necessary order.
The bench also issued a rule asking the hospital authorities to show causes as to why their inaction to admit the mother and the newborn babies and to provide her with treatment should not be declared illegal.
Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star that Azad, an MLSS of the Supreme Court, was going to the Islami Bank Hospital, by a three-wheeler with his expecting wife for her treatment after she felt sick yesterday morning.
Azad's wife Sayera Khatun gave birth to the twin babies in the autorickshaw.
The authorities concerned of Islami Bank Hospital admitted the mother and refused to admit the babies, saying that they lacked the equipment needed to treat the babies.
They advised Azad to take the babies to Dhaka Shishu Hospital.
At Dhaka Shishu Hospital, the authorities told Azad that he must pay Tk 5,000 for treatment of each baby per day.
Since Azad didn't have the means to pay the money, he informed a High Court judge about it.
The HC judge advised Azad to take the babies to the BSMMU and to meet its director for treatment, DAG Amin said.
Azad then went to the BSMMU with the twins by ambulance around 2:00pm. The BSMMU authorities informed him that the director has gone to his residence after conducting an operation.
At one stage, a doctor of the BSMMU visited the newborn babies in the ambulance and declared the babies dead.
Then Abdul Kalam Azad took the babies to the HC premises by the ambulance and placed the issue before the HC bench for an order. The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel delivered the suomuto order after informing the issue to Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain.
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