Court Correspondent :
Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Court yesterday (Tuesday) awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) to three officials each of Adflame Pharmaceuticals in a case filed in connection with the deaths of 76 children by taking adulterated drugs 22 years ago.
Judge Abdur Rashid of Dhaka Drug Court also fined the convicts Tk two lakh each, in default they will suffer three more months’ simple imprisonment.
The convicts are Adflame Director and owner Dr Helena Pasha, 75, Administrative Manager Dr Mizanur Rahman, 68, and Production Officer Nrigendra Nath Bala. He has been on the run since the case was filed in 1992.
“His punishment will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender to the court”, Public Prosecutor Shaheen Ahmed Khan told this correspondent. However, he termed the verdict as ‘expected’. “We are happy as the court awarded the convicts the due punishment” he added.
While pronouncing the verdict in presence of two convicts, the judge passed remarks that the convicts had committed crimes against humanity. So, it is ought to award them 10 years’ jail,
the maximum punishment under the Drug (Control) Ordinance, 1982, he added.
The court acquitted two fugitive accused Quality Control Officers Mohammad Noman and Azfar Pasha, as the complainant did not specifically mention their designations, duties and obligations in the case statement.
A total of four witnesses testified in the case. The court earlier decided to pronounce the verdict on July 17. But the court deferred the date to July 22 due to the absence of the two accused.
The case was filed against five officials of Adflame Pharmaceuticals Limited on December 19, 1992 on charges of manufacturing sub-standard and adulterated Flammadol syrup that caused the deaths.
The court completed recording the statements of four prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case in May last year.
The court framed charges against the accused on May 28, 1994, the trial of the case began on July 23, 1994 with recording the deposition of the complainant Abul Khayer Chowdhury, the then Drug Superintendent of the Directorate of Drug Administration (DDA).
But the case proceedings remained stayed for 13 years since 1994 following an order of the High Court. Meanwhile the DDA published a circular suggesting that Bangladesh had adequate test facilities required for the purpose. The trial resumed on Novembesr 11, 2009 after an investigation.
It may be remembered that in December 1992, complainant Khair filed four cases including the one against Adflame Pharmaceuticals, in connection with production of adulterated paracetamol syrup that caused the deaths to an estimated 2,700 children between 1972 and 1992.
The case against Adflame was one of the four separate pharmaceuticals that had been sued.
Three other manufacturers accused of manufacturing the same adulterated paracetamol syrup were Polychem Laboratories Limited, BCI (Bangladesh) Limited, and Rex Pharmaceuticals. The fifth pharmaceutical City Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited is yet to be prosecuted.
Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Court yesterday (Tuesday) awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) to three officials each of Adflame Pharmaceuticals in a case filed in connection with the deaths of 76 children by taking adulterated drugs 22 years ago.
Judge Abdur Rashid of Dhaka Drug Court also fined the convicts Tk two lakh each, in default they will suffer three more months’ simple imprisonment.
The convicts are Adflame Director and owner Dr Helena Pasha, 75, Administrative Manager Dr Mizanur Rahman, 68, and Production Officer Nrigendra Nath Bala. He has been on the run since the case was filed in 1992.
“His punishment will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender to the court”, Public Prosecutor Shaheen Ahmed Khan told this correspondent. However, he termed the verdict as ‘expected’. “We are happy as the court awarded the convicts the due punishment” he added.
While pronouncing the verdict in presence of two convicts, the judge passed remarks that the convicts had committed crimes against humanity. So, it is ought to award them 10 years’ jail,
the maximum punishment under the Drug (Control) Ordinance, 1982, he added.
The court acquitted two fugitive accused Quality Control Officers Mohammad Noman and Azfar Pasha, as the complainant did not specifically mention their designations, duties and obligations in the case statement.
A total of four witnesses testified in the case. The court earlier decided to pronounce the verdict on July 17. But the court deferred the date to July 22 due to the absence of the two accused.
The case was filed against five officials of Adflame Pharmaceuticals Limited on December 19, 1992 on charges of manufacturing sub-standard and adulterated Flammadol syrup that caused the deaths.
The court completed recording the statements of four prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case in May last year.
The court framed charges against the accused on May 28, 1994, the trial of the case began on July 23, 1994 with recording the deposition of the complainant Abul Khayer Chowdhury, the then Drug Superintendent of the Directorate of Drug Administration (DDA).
But the case proceedings remained stayed for 13 years since 1994 following an order of the High Court. Meanwhile the DDA published a circular suggesting that Bangladesh had adequate test facilities required for the purpose. The trial resumed on Novembesr 11, 2009 after an investigation.
It may be remembered that in December 1992, complainant Khair filed four cases including the one against Adflame Pharmaceuticals, in connection with production of adulterated paracetamol syrup that caused the deaths to an estimated 2,700 children between 1972 and 1992.
The case against Adflame was one of the four separate pharmaceuticals that had been sued.
Three other manufacturers accused of manufacturing the same adulterated paracetamol syrup were Polychem Laboratories Limited, BCI (Bangladesh) Limited, and Rex Pharmaceuticals. The fifth pharmaceutical City Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited is yet to be prosecuted.
