Death of Ayaan: HC orders probe, asks why Tk 5cr should not be given to family

The High Court today ordered the director general (DG) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to take steps to investigate the death of five-year-old Ayaan at United Medical College Hospital in Dhaka and to submit a report in seven days.

At the same time, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the hospital and government to explain why they should not be directed to give Tk 5 crore to the family of Ayaan, who died following a circumcision at the hospital allegedly due to negligence and wrong treatment.

The HC also asked the DG of DGHS to submit a list of the hospitals with licences and without licences to it in three months.

The bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah issued the order and rule following a writ petition filed Supreme Court lawyer ABM Shahjahan Akanda Masum, seeking necessary directives.

Shahjahan recently told The Daily Star that on December 31 last year, Ayaan was reportedly circumcised under "excessive" anesthesia at the hospital in Badda.

He was transferred to the hospital's Gulshan branch as he did not regain consciousness a few hours post-operation.

Seven days after keeping him on life support in the paediatric intensive care unit, the doctors declared Ayaan dead, he said.

Shahjahan said few other patients have died earlier at the same hospital due to mishandling and negligence of its doctors.