The Enam Medical College and Hospital authority collected an outstanding bill amount of taka 3 lakh 20 thousand allegedly after holding up the dead body of an adolescent boy for two days for the amount.
The hospital is in Savar on the outskirts of the capital.
“My younger brother, critically injured in an attack by a juvenile gang in Rajashon area in Savar was admitted to the hospital on the night of May 16, and died, according to the duty doctor of the hospital at 5:15 pm on Sunday, June 6.
However, the hospital authority has been holding the body for the last two days for outstanding bills despite pleading with folded hands to them expressing helplessness.
Afterwards, they released the body on Monday evening after the full outstanding bill was paid,” Uzzal Halder, elder brother of the deceased alleged.
The deceased was identified as Joy Halder, 17, son of Jon Halder, and hailed from Rajashon area in Savar. He was an SSC candidate for the upcoming examination.
Meanwhile, this correspondent could not reach Dr. Anawarul Quader Nazim, CEO of Enam Medical College Hospital despite visiting the hospital and making multiple phone calls, and sending short messages, while other staff and doctors of the hospital also refused to make any comment on the matter.
Even Dr. Sayemul Huda, Upazila health and family Planning officer of Savar, refused to make any comment regarding the hospital.
The deceased’s family alleged, around 10 to 12 adolescents and some youth of a juvenile gang attacked Joy at around 8:45 pm on May 16, centering an old feud, and randomly beat him up with local weapons, and later left him critically injured on the spot, while locals started to come forward after hearing his screams. Afterwards, he was taken and admitted to Enam Medical College Hospital that night, and was under treatment at the ICU of this hospital till his death.
Uzzal Halder said, in these 21 days, they already spent more than taka six lakh after borrowing from multiple people, but became unable to manage the last outstanding hospital bills of taka 3,20,000.
Therefore we requested them to waive the bills and release the body, but they did not hear us, and kept the body stuck in the hospital until they made the full payment of the outstanding bills.
When contacted, Shaduzzaman, Sub inspector of Savar model police station told Bangladesh Post, “A case has been filed with Savar model police station on May 18, mentioning the names of 9 accused, and already we have arrested 3 of them, 3 others got bail after surrendering before a Dhaka court.”