Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a High Court order that asked the United Hospital to pay four victim families Tk 30 lakh each in 15 days as primary compensation over the damages and death of their family members in the recent fire incident at the hospital.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzuman passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the hospital against the High Court order. At the same time, the judge sent the case to the regular bench of the apex court for detail hearing and fixed August 16 for it.
Following four separate writ petitions, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim on July 15 ordered the United Hospital to pay four victim families Tk 30 lakh each in 15 days as initial compensation.
But the United Hospital filed a petition on Monday with the Appellate Division against the High Court order. After hearing, the apex court stayed the High Court order on Tuesday.
Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud and Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan took part in the hearing on behalf of the United Hospital. On the other hand Advocate AM Amin Uddin, Barrister Aneeq R Haque, Barrister Hassan MS Azim, Barrister Muntasir Uddin Ahmed and Barrister Niaz Muhammad Mahbub represented the writ petitioners.
A devastating fire, which started from an air-conditioning unit in one of the four rooms there, killed five patients, who could not escape, on May 27 night.
The five patients who were killed in the fire incident were— Riazul Alam, 45, Khodeza Begum, 70, Bherun Anthony Paul, 74, Md Monir Hossain, 75, and Md Mahabub, 50, said a United Hospital statement.
They were undergoing treatment with COVID-19 like symptoms at the isolation ward outside the main hospital building, said the statement. Later, the fire service (FS) was informed immediately and the FS brought the blaze under control within 15-20 minutes.
Two Supreme Court lawyers, Barrister Niaz Muhammad Mahbub and Barrister Shahida Sultana Shila, on May 30 this year filed a first writ petition seeking HC directives for cancellation of the license of United Hospital and compensation for the victims’ family. Later more three writ petitions were filed over the same ground.
On June 2, the High Court sought probe reports from separate four bodies,United Hospital, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), Fire Service and Civil Defense authority and Inspector General of Police, to submit separate probe reports within June 14.
And on July 15, the High Court bench ordered the United Hospital to pay four victim families Tk 30 lakh each in 15 days as primary compensation.
