Special Correspondent :
Khandakar Millatul Islam, an official of the waste management department of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), died from coronavirus on Thursday, days after turning down of coronavirus tests by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Khandakar Millatul could not get the corona test though he visited the IEDCR for three days with sickness and fever. Besides, IEDCR officials did not come to take samples even after his death, alleged the deceased’s colleagues and family members.
Just before the burial, the DSCC collected samples under its own management and sent for testing. Later, he was diagnosed with coronavirus positive.
Such an irresponsible act by IEDCR officials created anger among the family members of the deceased. The DSCC will lodge a written complaint with the appropriate authorities against the IEDCR.
Millatul Islam retired two years ago as the Deputy Chief Waste Management Officer of DSCC. After the retirement, the DSCC authorities hired him as waste management consultant for two years considering his work skills. But he died on April 23 with corona symptoms.
The official was directly involved in the city’s waste management and distribution of food by the city corporation despite the outbreak of the virus in the capital. He attended the office until the day before his death.
On April 21, he got fever. Since then, he, his family and the health department of the DSCC have been trying to contact the IEDCR to get his corona test. But the DSCC and the family complained that no response was received from the IEDCR.
When contacted, DSCC CEO Shah Mohammad Emdadul Haque said, “I have to say with regretfully that we have lost an officer like Millat. Despite repeated attempts before his death, we could not get him a corona screening or test. His family relentlessly tried to contact the IEDCR and even our Chief Health Officer Brigadier General. Md. Sharif Ahmed tried to establish contact with the IEDCR chief. We have a good relationship with the IEDCR chief, yet he did not respond to and we couldn’t do the test.”
He lamented, ‘If this is the case with a government official, what is happening to ordinary citizens? I talked to the Secretary and he asked to inform the matter in written form. We will inform the matter to the government.”
Khandaker Mazharul Islam Shaon, son of Khandaker Millatul Islam, said, “Just two days before the death, fever attacked his father. He went to the bathroom and got a little injury. At first we thought he might have a fever for the injury. Later, I saw that his health condition was getting worse. We then called the IEDCR hotline repeatedly, but got no response.
Finally, I went to IEDCR but did not get any help. The IEDCR officials said they did not conduct any test there and office is closed. From there I went to Kurmitola General Hospital but they said we would not admit patients without corona test. I asked them at least to do the test but they rejected us.
From there I took my father to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the doctor said that my father was no more. I roamed everywhere. Even being a doctor, no one helped me to test or give treatment to my father. ‘
He added, ‘Even after my father’s death, IEDCR men did not come to collect samples from his body though they have been repeatedly contacted by the health department of the city corporation.
