There is a severe ambulance crisis at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after the accident inside the hospital premises last week. People are having to wait for several hours to take away bodies of patients. Faruk Hossain, a resident of the old town, said: "Last week, my brother-in-law was admitted to the hospital with infection on the legs. He died yesterday (Monday) morning, but I could not get an ambulance despite waiting from 10am to 12 noon." Haji Sirajul Islam, 90, from Comilla district was admitted to the DMCH around 12 noon yesterday and died within an hour. His son, Mofidul Islam, said: “Here I’m waiting, along with others, in front of the emergency department of the hospital. How do I take away my father’s body?” Sitara Begum, 56, died while undergoing treatment yesterday. Her husband, Nurul Amin, said: “I’m trying to get an ambulance to take the body to my village home in Sonamganj district. I’m willing to pay more, but till now I’ve not been able to get an ambulance.” About the severe ambulance crisis, the general secretary of the Private Ambulance Owners’ Association, Din Islam Din, said: “We’re not taking ambulances inside the DMCH, fearing that they’ll be seized by the police or we’ll be punished.” Inspector Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh police station, said: “We’re allowing ambulances to enter the DMCH premises, but no such vehicle can be parked inside.” DMCH sources said a mobile court of the Rapid Action Battalion sentenced two agents (dalals) to six months’ jail each for forcing attendants to hire their ambulances yesterday afternoon.
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.