Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain has strongly criticised Ad-din Hospital in Dhaka's Moghbazar, alleging that doctors' negligence, an oxygen shortage, the shutdown of the central air-conditioning system and widespread mismanagement led to the deaths of six newborns.
Speaking during the general discussion on the proposed national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year in parliament today (28 June), the minister accused the hospital authorities of prioritising commercial activities over patient care and warned that the government would not tolerate negligence or disorder in the country's healthcare sector.
Referring to the incident that took place in May, the minister said six families lost their newborns due to what he described as "gross negligence and carelessness" at the hospital.
He alleged that the babies developed hypercapnia while the central air-conditioning system had been switched off, there were no operational windows and no emergency oxygen support available.
According to the minister, 16 to 17 mothers desperately sought help to save their children, but no on-duty doctors could be found and nurses failed to respond when called.
"The innocent babies died struggling from carbon dioxide poisoning," he told parliament.
Sakhawat said he personally visited the hospital the following day and spoke with doctors, claiming he found evidence of serious negligence.
He also alleged that the hospital authorities failed to stand beside the bereaved families or show even minimal sympathy following the deaths.
The minister also criticised the hospital's internal environment, alleging that a commercial bakery was operating inside the medical college hospital premises.
He said waste from the bakery, piles of plastic and waterlogging had created severe environmental pollution inside the hospital compound.
He further claimed that gases produced from the pollution might also have contributed to the deaths of the newborns.
Raising concerns over fire safety, the minister said large quantities of combustible plastic waste had been left inside the hospital premises, posing a major risk to patients and their relatives in the event of a fire.
He said the government had suspended the hospital's licence, dissolved its governing board and appointed a new chief executive officer under government supervision because of regulatory violations and breaches of licensing conditions.
Responding to criticism from opposition lawmakers, the minister said legal action should not be viewed as political retaliation and that the government would take all necessary measures to protect patients' lives by bringing every hospital under stricter oversight.
During his speech, the minister also criticised remarks made by an opposition MP regarding religion, saying claims that people would "go to heaven by voting" amounted to shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Citing a verse from Surah An-Najm, he said those making such statements should apologise.
On the proposed budget, Sakhawat said it reflected the economic vision outlined by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after returning to the country from abroad.
Defending the government's revenue measures, he referred to the introduction of VAT under the BNP government led by Begum Khaleda Zia in 1991, saying it had initially faced widespread criticism but had since become an indispensable part of the economy.
The minister said the budget included initiatives such as Family Cards for marginalised communities, Farmers' Cards for agricultural workers and Health Cards to expand access to healthcare.
He also highlighted plans to boost industrialisation and employment through a single-window system and plug-and-play facilities for investors.
The minister added that customs duties had been reduced on raw materials for 52 medicines, cancer treatment equipment and kidney dialysis components to help lower healthcare costs.
Defending the budget deficit, he said no country could pursue development without running a deficit budget, describing it as an accepted economic reality.
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain / Ad-din Hospital
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