Rejoinder, our reply

The Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) authorities in a rejoinder to two October 22 Daily Star reports-- headlined 'Death shrouded in questions' and 'Asma was strong, healthy'-- has claimed that the reports were not fact-based.
Following is the full, unedited text of the rejoinder, undersigned by DMCH Director In-charge Dr Md Musfiqur Rahman:
"Report by the Staff Correspondent Published in "The Daily Star" on 22/10/2014 with the heading 'Death shrouded in questions' & 'Asma was strong, healthy' is not fact.
On this issue the opinion of Dhaka Medical College Hospital authority is Asma go admitted in to DMCH on 10/10/2014 at 4-15 pm with 40 weeks pregnancy with history of 2 previous caesarean operation with scar pain. She underwent undergo caesarean operation on 11/10/2014 at 5-30 am, giving birth to a male child and Asma expired on 13/10/2014 at 9 pm, due to Septicaemia and Hypoxic Encephalopathy.

It is not true that there were bruises, cuts and blister on Asma's body, but the truth is - there was old healed cut marks at the front of her left fore arm, and bruises like perpuric spots developed on the parts of Asma's body, as a consequence DIC (bleeding disorder). Asma was not tortured but all life saving measures were adopted to save her life, in spite of that Asma expired. There was not cut-marks on the head of Asma. The coment of Doctor Ahmed Faruque of Capital Care Hospital published in Daily Star on 22/10/2014 is not authentic as he did not even see the patient. As the patient was very much restless disoriented, & attempting to remove the medical fittings from her body & there is chance of falling from bed. So finding no other alternative she was tied with the bed for her safety. It is not true that a blow by blunt object or even punches any cause fetal renal failure.
As per openion of the Medical Board the patient developed Multiorgan failure with septicaemia and hypoxic Encephalopathy. The board adviced to transfer the patient ICU. As per advice the patient is transfered to ICU.  
Patient was kept in ward No-212, air conditioned postoperative ward and lastly ICU room, which are rent free. Financial assistance is provided by the Social Welfare Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital for poor patient if need arises. So questions for paying Hospital bills is baseless. As the patient was very much poor so the transport was arranged for carrying Asma's dead body on request of attendant by the donation of Social Welfare Department of Dhaka Medical Hospital.
It is not true that DMCH Director Brig Gen Md Mustafizur Rahman flew into a rage and pushed the Correspondent in the chest towards the exit. The fact is this - on Friday 17th October at 11-30 am when the Director DMCH visiting Causuality department the correspondent asked about Asma, Director DMCH requested him to wait in his office, but the correspondent tried to entere the operation theatre again and again. Director, DMCH requested him no to entere in to the operation theatre, in presence of his other staff."  

Our Reply
The Daily Star report was based on testimonies separately taken from four women who had given Asma the burial bath. Their description of Asma's injuries, including the one in the back of her head, was graphic and identical. Our report focused on the injuries noticed by all of them.
The first point to note is that the reply did not address the question: How a caesarian section patient, who had been well enough to attempt an escape the previous day, could die overnight?
The reply did not explain why the hospital authorities suppressed the fact in the case statement that Sumi was Asma's sister.
It also fell short of explaining why an autopsy was not done on Asma's body given that she had been tied to a hospital bed against her will before she died.
Asma's family took her body to their Tongi's Arizpur village home within three hours of her death as the DMCH promptly provided them with a vehicle for transporting the body.  
The unusual haste with which Asma's body was released and the way her attendants were provided with free transportation to send the body back home speak of measures which are extremely unusual.    
The reply did not say anything about DMCH employee Lala Das, the case's complainant, who revealed that he was forced to file the case despite his complete ignorance of the matter.
Nor did it attach any document to the rejoinder to prove its claim that multi-organ failure caused Asma's death.
The reply even distorted facts to defend the DMCH Director against the allegation that he pushed the reporter in the chest towards the exit.
The reporter never entered the operation theatre at DMCH. The reporter walked into the emergency's resuscitation room only after the director allowed him a minute to talk about the incident.
We stand by our report.