Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday ordered the concerned bodies of the government to pay Tk 5 lakh within 15 days to the legal guardian of the baby who was born during a road accident in Mymensingh that left its parents and sister dead.
This instruction has been given to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees constituted under Section 54 of the Road Transport Act.
The High Court bench of Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury and Justice Md Zakir Hossain passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard.
The court said, treatment of the baby has to be continued. It also asked the secretary of the Social Welfare Ministry to form a committee for monitoring the health condition of the infant and continue her treatment. It asked the committee to submit a progress report within three months. A tragic road accident near court building area in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh left Jahangir Alam, 35, his pregnant wife Ratna Begum, 26, and their daughter Jannat Ara, 2, died on the spot on July 16. On the eve of her death, the pregnant mother gave birth to the newborn.
In this situation, lawyer Kaniz Fatima Tunazzina filed the writ on Monday asking for necessary instructions to ensure adequate compensation and welfare of the newborn.
Barrister Syed Mahsib Hossain appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Pratikar Chagma represented the state.
Later Barrister Mahsib Hossain said, “The court has asked to provide Tk 5 lakh to the legal guardian of the baby as its cost. The court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain as to why the trustee board should not be directed to give sufficient compensation to the legal guardian of the baby.”
Women and Children Affairs Secretary, Social Welfare Secretary, Road Transport and Bridges Secretary, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, trustee board chairman formed under Section 54 of the Road Transport Act and truck owner have been asked to comply with the rule, said the lawyer.
Jahangir Alam went to Trishal upazila headquarter with his eight-month pregnant wife and daughter for conducting a medical test of his spouse. While crossing the highway a speeding Mymenshingh-bound truck knocked them down, leaving all three family members dead on the spot.
Miraculously the baby girl was born moments before the mother died on the road and she was taken to upazila health complex by locals. The newborn was then given treatment at Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) and then at Community Based Medical College Hospital.
