The High Court has directed authorities concerned to conduct a judicial enquiry into the newborn theft incident at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).
The court also ordered the chief judicial metropolitan magistrate to assign a magistrate to conduct the enquiry.
The HC vacation bench of Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and Justice Abu Taher Mohammad Saifur Rahman passed the order on Wednesday afternoon.
The High Court also issued a suo moto rule asking why appropriate legal actions should not be taken against the authority concerned for failure to give appropriate protection to the missing child.
Secretary for health, DMCH director, head of the ward concerned and DMCH registrar are made the defendants of the rule. They were asked to give an explanation within four weeks.
The HC bench also asked the police to provide necessary assistance to the enquiry team and ensure security of the parents of the missing child during the time of enquiry.
On August 21, a woman befriended the mother of the baby before carrying the infant out of the hospital in broad daylight, in plain view of law enforcement personnel and under the noses of closed-circuit camera staff.
At least five children have been stolen from the DMCH wards in the last three years. Not one child had ever been recovered.
Hospital authorities have formed probe bodies, increased security and set up CCTVs to clamp down on the crime but they have not been successful.
