Alleged Tk 10 Lakh Settlement After Child Dies During Surgery in Savar; Mother Denies Taking Money
The family of an 11-year-old child who died during surgery in Savar, Dhaka, is reported to have reached a settlement with the hospital authorities in exchange for Tk 10 lakh. The child's mother, however, has denied taking any money, and no statement has been obtained from the hospital authorities.
Several people present said the settlement was reached on Wednesday night (21 October) at Londonas Restaurant at Muktir Mor in the Savar municipal area. According to them, restaurant owner Saiful Islam and Abul Kalam Tapas were present and mediated between the two sides.
Saiful Islam, the restaurant owner and a former Dhaka district Chhatra Dal leader, acknowledged that a settlement took place but declined to discuss any money changing hands over the phone. The dead child's mother, Kona Akter, denied receiving money and did not wish to comment further.
Earlier, the child, Abraham, aged 11, died in the operation theatre of Abbas Specialized Hospital in the Savar municipal area while surgery was under way.
Kona Akter and other family members allege that no full health check was carried out before the tonsil and nasal polyp surgery. They claim the operation was performed by an unskilled doctor and that negligence by other doctors and nurses on duty in the operation theatre caused the child's death.
The family further alleges that although the child died in the operation theatre, the hospital authorities sent him to Enam Medical College Hospital saying his condition had deteriorated and he needed an ICU, in order to cover up the death. Doctors there declared him dead on arrival.
When news of the death spread, angry relatives vandalised Abbas Specialized Hospital at noon. People concerned say the hospital authorities then took the initiative to discuss and settle the matter with the family.
Local journalist Shahnaz Parveen and several other journalists present at the settlement said that after bargaining throughout the day, the family agreed in the evening to settle for Tk 10 lakh. A written settlement was later made on stamp paper at the restaurant in the presence of mother Kona Akter and other family members, and people from the hospital side handed Tk 10 lakh to the mother, they said.
Shahnaz Parveen added that during the settlement, the mediators were also seen discussing giving Tk 2 lakh to Savar Model Police Station in addition to the money for the victim's family. Local journalist S A Rashid also confirmed the Tk 10 lakh transaction, saying he had signed the settlement stamp paper, which mentioned the amount.
S A Rashid said: 'The child's village home is in our area. I was present there as a local resident. Tk 10 lakh was given by Abbas Specialized Hospital to the dead child's mother.' He added that the family later applied to Savar Model Police Station to receive the body without a post-mortem and took it away.
Abul Kalam Tapas, for his part, acknowledged the settlement but denied the allegation of a money transaction. A police source at Savar Model Police Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that an important leader of the ruling political party played a significant role in the entire settlement process.
Mosharraf Hossain, inspector (investigation) of Savar Model Police Station, said police had requested the family to file a complaint but they declined; at night the family stated in writing that they would not complain and took the body away without a post-mortem. He said he knew nothing about any financial transaction with police. Hospital owner Dr Md Abbas Uddin was contacted repeatedly but did not answer his phone or respond to text messages.
