The High Court has asked the authorities of United Hospital to submit a report before it by June 14 with an explanation of the cause for death of five patients in their coronavirus isolation unit.
The inspector general of police (IGP), Fire Service and Civil Defence, and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) were also asked to submit their reports within the same deadline.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim came up with the order after a virtual hearing on Tuesday.
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Niaz Muhammad Mahboob and Barrister Shahida Parvin Shila filed the writ petition on May 30.
On May 27, five patients died in a devastating fire at the makeshift coronavirus unit of United Hospital in Gulshan, Dhaka.
However, another writ petition was also filed with the High Court Division on Monday, seeking cancellation of the licence of the hospital in the aftermath of the fire incident.
The petition also sought a High Court order for a judicial probe to be conducted with the aim of providing compensation to the families of the victims who died in the fire.
Supreme Court lawyers Barrister Redwan Ahmed and Barrister ABM Hamidul Mishbah filed the writ with the bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim as public interest litigation.
The petitioners' lawyer, Barrister Aneek R Haque, said they were seeking a rule asking the government to explain why a murder case should not be filed against the hospital authorities holding them responsible for the deaths.
The secretary of the Ministry of Health, director general of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), IGP, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Rajuk, and United Hospital were made respondents in the writ.