Family members and villagers, enraged by the death of a six-year-old emergency patient, extensively vandalised the Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital as the physician and ambulance was not available.
When police came to control the situation, they got involved in chase and counter-chase with the family members and local residents. Sub-Inspector (SI), Chhatra League leader Ashraful Alam Titu, and at least 10 others were injured in the incident.
According to locals, the six-year-old son of Abul Kalam Azad of Natai village in Brahmanbaria sadar fell from the roof and injured his head. After he was brought to the emergency department of the hospital, the absence of physicians and ambulance enraged the close relatives.
At one point almost 50 people of the village started vandalising the hospital properties including chairs, tables, operations theatres, wards, etc. Meanwhile, as the child died, the mob became more infuriated. Police later brought the situation under control, firing five/six rounds of rubber bullets.
Resident physician of the hospital Abu Sayeed said the ambulance driver fled when he saw the situation was worsening. This angered the locals and they started vandalising the hospital property. Necessary steps would be taken against the driver, he added.
Brahmanbaria Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Aqul Chandra Biswas said additional police is deployed in the hospital area and the situation is now calm.