At least seven people were injured in a clash between two groups in front of the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Friday afternoon.
The clash occurred over control of business for release and transportation of dead bodies, alleged locals and DMCH staff.
The injured are Md Mostafa, 28, Junaid Pavel, 25, Buli, 22, Ayesha Mansur Beauty, 35, Md Mansur, 45, Al-Amin, 20, and Akash, 25.
The medical services were disrupted due to the clash. It also created a fearful atmosphere among the patients’ relatives present there.
Upon receiving information about the conflict, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Police have detained four for questioning in this connection, said Shahbag police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abul Hasan.
A formal complaint is yet to be filed but police are investigating the matter nonetheless, he added.
Several DMCH employees and insider sources said an ambulance broker called Parvez, alias Noakhali Parvez, had an argument with a DMCH staff—also named Parvez—at the new building of the hospital on Thursday night. At one stage, there was a scuffle between them over the release of dead bodies.
One of them belong to local Awami League politician Md Ramiz’s group, while the other belong to the group of Abdul Khaleq, former president of DMCH fourth-class staff association.
They engaged in a clash once again in front of the new building on Friday around 12pm, locals said.
A meeting was held at the fourth-class staff association office outside the emergency department of DMCH with an aim of resolving the issue. Ramiz and Khaleq were present at the meeting.
At one point, Khaleq’s men attacked the rival group, and Ramiz’s men attacked in retaliation.
Eyewitnesses also reported noticing some sharp local weapons during the clash.
Police later detained four-five people including Khaleq and Ramiz.
Md Shipon Mia, the general secretary of the fourth class staff association of DMCH, said people from both groups were injured.
Requesting anonymity, locals and DMCH employees alleged that there is a syndicate which controls the “business” of dead body release and transportation.
There are some 70-80 ambulances of different rings who control the business.
Families of several deceased also claimed they had to spend some money to avoid hassle regarding the release and transportation of a dead body.
Patients’ families face immense sufferings as these groups charge an excessive amount for their ambulance services.
The syndicate earns around Tk2,000-Tk3,000 in this process.
The groups often engage in disputes over the control of this business, said locals and DMCH employees.