Barisal Sher-E- Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) authorities suspended a nurse and recommended the suspension of the head of the gynecology department over an incident of stored fetuses being dumped in a trash bin.
An unnatural death case and a general diary was lodged with Barishal Kotwali police station.
Jotsna Aktar, senior staff nurse in charge of the Gynecology ward, was suspended on Tuesday for negligence of duty.
A letter recommending the suspension of Dr Khurshid Jahan Haque, associate professor and head of the department of gynecology of SBMCH, was sent to the Health Directorate in this connection.
Dr Baqir Hossain, director of SBMCH, said a three-member probe committee headed by Prof Dr Zahirul Haque Manik, head of surgery, had been formed.
The other two members of the committee are Dr Faizul Bashar, associate professor of pathology, and Dr Imtiaz Uddin, lecturer of forensics.
Also Read- 31 dead fetuses found in trash bin in Barisal
The committee has started working and will submit their report within three working days, the director added.
“After receiving preliminary allegations about negligence of duties, a recommendation for the suspension of Dr Khurshid Jahan Haque, head of gynecology, has been sent to the Health Directorate,” Dr Baqir said.
These actions were taken as 31 premature human fetuses were not disposed properly, proving in the primary investigation, negligence of duty on the part of persons concerned, the director said.
Dr Khurshid Jahan Haque denied the allegation of negligence of duty.
“I only asked the staff nurse to clean the store room of the department ahead of the upcoming session of the post-graduate course,” she said.
“I did not know that human specimens were preserved there,” shesaid.
The specimens had been out of use for at least a decade and they were 20-25 years old, because artificial mannequin models are used for clinical classes now, Dr Khurshid added.
Dr Syed Maksumul Haque, principal of SBMC, said dead fetuses of immature children are used as practical learning tools in medical science.
“After use, they should be buried properly. Failure to do that led to this public outcry,” he said.
Mosharraf Hossain, commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, after visiting the spot, said a general diary has been lodged by Sub Inspector Saidul Haque and Miraj Howladar. A Barisal
City Corporation staff member of the cleaning department lodged an Unnatural Death (UD) case with Kotwali police station in this matter.
The fetuses were recovered by BCC cleaners from an SBMCH trash can on Monday night, creating a sensation across the country.
Abul Kalam Azad, director general of Health Directorate, ordered an investigation into the matter and action against the persons responsible.
