A ward boy has been detained for his reported involvement in multiple sexual harassment offences made by the female patients of the Khulna Medical College Hospital’s Covid-19 Isolation Unit.
Officer-in-Charge of Sonadanga Model police station said: “We arrested him on Tuesday upon receiving a complaint from the patient.”
The accused, Nazrul Islam, a ward boy of the hospital --who was outsourced from elsewhere through a contract-- has allegedly misused his authority by sexually harassing female patients of the unit, sources say.
The incident came into light after a complaint was filed with the hospital by a female patient quoting other patients of the coronavirus isolation unit on Monday.
The patient--who was admitted into the hospital on June 6-- was touched inappropriately by the man while he was checking her medical condition, states the accusations.
“When I informed other female patients, they told me it had happened to them too. However, the incident turned sour, when on Saturday Nazrul asked me to come to the Operation Theater (OT) for a medical emergency, and tried to sexually harass me there,” said the woman.
“After an altercation broke out between Nazrul and me, other patients came forward and rescued me. I filed the complaint afterwards,” added the patient.
“This is utterly unacceptable and we will surely take action against the responsible people,” said Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mehedi Newaz of Khulna Medical College.
“We suspended him immediately after we were informed of the incident,” he added.
Contacted, Director of KMCH, DR Munshi Md Reza Sekandar said: “I am astonished to know that a male ward assistant was stationed at the female ward. We suspended him and are investigating the matter with the highest priority.”