Central Hospital director held over DU student’s death for alleged wrong treatment

Police have detained the director of Central Hospital over the death of a Dhaka University student due to alleged wrong treatment at the hospital. Hospital director Dr MA Kashem was arrested on Thursday night after DU authorities lodged a case with Dhanmondi police station earlier in the day. Officer-in-Charge of Dhanmondi police station Abdul Latif said DU authorities also sued Central Hospital doctors Dr ABM Abdullah, Kashem Yusuf, Dr Mortuza, Lt Col ASM Matlubur Rahman, Dr Masuma Parvin, Dr Jahanara Begum Mona, Dr Maksud Parvin and Dr Tapan Kumar Bairagi in the case. Health Minister Mohammad Nasim said: “It is not acceptable to arrest senior doctors immediately after a complaint is lodged. If the hospital is responsible for wrong treatment, the health ministry will take necessary action after a proper investigation.” After the arrest, the health minister phoned the home minister, confirmed Health Ministry Information Officer Porikkhit Chowdhury, reported Bangla Tribune.

Also read: DU student dies from alleged wrong treatment

Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader criticised the vandalism of the hospital caused by DU students on Thursday. The AL general secretary said: “If the doctors are guilty, steps will be taken against them and they will be punished. But why do the students have to vandalise the hospital? “Had any other critical patient died because of them, who would then have taken responsibility for it? It is not acceptable that thousands of patients had to suffer for such a protest,” he said. DU students, including Bangladesh Chhatra League activists, had marched to the hospital on Thursday afternoon after Afia Akter Chaity, 20, a first-year zoology student, died due to alleged wrong treatment. Although Afia was diagnosed with acute myeloblastic leukaemia when she was admitted on Wednesday, doctors confirmed she was suffering from dengue just before she died on Thursday. Her death sparked protests amongst the fellow DU students who vandalised the hospital on Thursday.