Clash erupts at Kushtia hospital after patient dies
Photo: Agamir Somoy
A clash broke out between intern doctors and relatives of a patient following the patient’s death at Kushtia Medical College Hospital on Friday night.
Kushtia Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zakir Hossain confirmed the matter. The deceased was identified as Atiar Sheikh, 65. Police, hospital authorities, and the patient’s relatives said doctors advised conducting an ECG after Atiar was admitted with heart disease.
However, the patient died before ECG preparations were complete. Following the death, the patient’s relatives expressed dissatisfaction over the treatment. A verbal altercation broke out between the two parties, which quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
As news of the tension spread, intern doctors and students gathered on the hospital premises and then clashed with the patient’s relatives. The patient’s relatives alleged that proper treatment could not begin in time due to delays in transferring the patient from one ward to another.
They claimed that the patient died immediately after tests were advised, and when they protested, intern doctors attacked them and beat several individuals.
Kushtia Medical College Hospital Deputy Director Md Akul Uddin said, “The patient came to the hospital in critical condition and died after reaching the doctor. There was no negligence of any kind in treatment. There was no lapse by the doctors.”
He added that several intern doctors and students sustained injuries from the beating by the patient’s relatives, forcing the authorities to call the police.
OC Zakir said police brought the situation under control. Based on complaints filed by the intern doctors, police brought three individuals, including Atiar’s son, to the station for questioning, and the matter is under investigation.
