Pay Tk30 lakh compensation to each victim’s family: HC to United Hospital
The court did not issue any order regarding the family of Monir Hossain, who was killed in the fire, as they had settled the matter through discussions with the hospital authorities
The High Court has directed the United Hospital to pay within the next 15 days compensation of Tk30 lakh to each of the families of four out of five victims who were killed in a fire at the hospital in the capital.
The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim on Wednesday passed the order after virtual hearing.
However, the court did not issue any order regarding the family of Monir Hossain, who was also killed in the fire, as they had settled the matter through discussions with the hospital authorities.
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Barrister Anik R Haque said, "The High Court has directed the United Hospital to settle the demand for compensation for the victims of the fire that killed five people at the hospital by July 11. They sent letters to families of all victims but four families did not agree to the money that the hospital authorities wanted to pay them as compensation. Only Monir Hossain's family negotiated for Tk20 lakh."
Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder stood for the state while Barristers Rokon Uddin Mahmud and Mostafizur Rahman Khan for United Hospital in the court.
On May 30, Lawyer Niaz Mahmud filed the writ petition seeking necessary directives to investigate and demanding compensation for the deaths of five people in an AC blast at the Coronavirus Isolation Unit of United Hospital in Gulshan.
Following the court's order on the writ petition, the High Court sought separate reports from the Inspector General of Police, fire brigade and RAJUK on the incident.
The three reports, submitted to the court, revealed negligence of the hospital authorities.
On the night of May 27, an AC explosion started a fire in the coronavirus isolation unit of United Hospital. Later the fire service brought the fire under control. Five bodies were later recovered from the spot. Among the dead were four men and a woman.
Later on June 3, a relative of one of the patients who were burnt to death in the incident filed a case against the hospital authorities with Gulshan police station bringing allegation of 'negligent death'.
