Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman on Tuesday (November 14, 2023) said BNP itself locked its central office in the capital’s Nayapaltan. “If BNP leaders want, they can carry out their activities in the office and there is no bar from our side,” the DMP chief said while replying to a question from reporters after visiting the people injured in various arson incidents at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. “He said that the police remain deployed in front of the BNP office throughout the year for security. As part of regular duty, police are guarding there. BNP has  locked its party office on  October 28. However, they can carry out party activities in the office if they want,” he added. Read: DMP warns of legal actions against destructive acts in name of political programme  In response to a question, the commissioner said that the parked vehicles are being burned and police are working to stop these attacks. “We have given various instructions at the field level. As a result, we managed to arrest many perpetrators with the help of the public.” The DMP chief also sought people’ cooperation to stop these violence. He also assured that they will provide financial support to the victims. Read: 1636 people arrested in 112 cases in 10 days since October 28: DMP Processes are underway to take strict action against the perpetrators of this atrocity, he said.  A total of 19 people have been arrested in connection with the arson violence he said adding that no one will be spared.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (October 16, 2023) pledged that the state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital will be upgraded with ultra-modern facilities if her party wins the next general election to form the government. “Inshallah if we get chance in the next time, we will upgrade Dhaka Medical College Hospital and all district and upazila hospitals,” she said while inaugurating various projects under the ministries of water resources and health. She joined the programme from her official residence, Ganabhaban, through video link. Dev projects must not damage rivers and canals: PM Hasina asks officials The parliamentary elections in Bangladesh are due in the first week of next January. Hasina said that the aim of her government is to establish one medical university in each division. “We need doctors, nurses and skilled manpower; we have allocated separate funds for the research on medical science,” she said. In this connection, she mentioned that the government has created specialised hospitals and institutes to create skilled manpower in the country. “We have a plan to upgrade Dhaka Medical College Hospital to 4000-5000-bed ultra modern hospital,” she said. PM hosts dinner for artists, crew of Bangabandhu biopic at Ganabhaban She also said that the government could have done this during the current tenure. “…but COVID-19 and expenditure for vaccine procurement and other related huge expenditures could not allow us to do that,” she said. She also briefly described various expenditures of the government for bringing vaccines for immunisation programme to combat COVID-19. "We had been able to save the lives of the people from the pandemic despite the fact that thousands of people died from it across the globe including many in rich ones. But, we had to spend plenty of money to this end." PM Hasina calls for ending Israeli repression against Palestinians The prime minister said they have upgraded each of the 32-bed upazila hospitals to 50-bed ones and 100-bed district hospital to 250-bed ones while big district hospitals were upgraded to 500-bed hospitals. She said they have appointed 40000 nurses and 22000 physicians alongside launching construction of houses for their accommodation. "We are making arrangements to make sure that the healthcare services don’t suffer any negligence," she said. The prime minister said they have built community hospitals across the country to reach primary healthcare services to every doorstep following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The community centres are distributing 30 types of medicines free of cost. She said the facilities are helping greatly to reduce the child and mother mortality rate in Bangladesh. After assuming power, she said the BNP-Jamaat government had stopped the community based healthcare services on the plea that the people who are working and taking healthcare services from those will cast vote for the Awami League despite the fact that the clinics have been rendering healthcare services to all irrespective their political affiliation. "The BNP-Jamaat alliance doesn't think about the welfare of the people rather busy making their own fortunes. Their mindset is narrow," she said. Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and State Minister for Water Resources Ministry Zaheed Farooque also spoke at the programme. Two separate video documentaries on the activities of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry and Water Resources Ministry were screened on the occasion. Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated "65 community eye centres" at 65 Upazila Health Complexes in 28 districts, in the fourth phase, as part of the move to set up the facility at every upazila across the country under Health and Family Welfare Ministry. From the same programme, she also opened 80 developed schemes and re-digging of 430 small rivers, canals and water bodies and laid the foundation stone of 20 new development projects under the Water Resources Ministry. Sharsha Upazila of Jashore, Sathià Upazila of Pabna and Shreemongol Upazila of Moulovibazar district were connected virtually to the programme. The prime minister unveiled the cover of a book titled "Joyjatra" featuring the development schemes implemented in the last 15 years. Later, she talked to different beneficiaries through videoconferencing.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government has undertaken a new plan to modernize Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) so that 4,000 patients can be treated at a time there. "We have already prepared a new plan to develop the hospital into a larger, more beautiful, and more modern establishment. We have prepared the plan so that 4,000 patients can receive treatment there at a time," she said. The PM said this while addressing the celebration ceremony of the 78th Dhaka Medical College Day through a virtual platform from her office in Dhaka. Criticise for country's welfare, not to damage it: PM Hasina tells journalists The Dhaka Medical College Alumni Trust arranged the function at the Shaheed Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Auditorium of the college. Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on the immediate implementation of the new plan. "If this plan for the hospital can be started soon, it will set an example in healthcare services," she said. The PM asked the physicians and medical experts to pay extensive attention to medical science research, as the number of such studies is still low in Bangladesh. "Only a handful of people conduct research here. But research is indispensable in this age. You should pay more attention to research," she said. PM urges JICA to allow farmers to use wastage of sea water in the desalination project at Matarbari The Prime Minister said her government will create all sorts of opportunities for medical research. "We'll provide funds as required," she added. She lauded the doctors of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for putting the highest effort into providing treatment. "Patients are getting the best treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital," she said. She added that her government has been working to provide healthcare services to every person across the country. The PM, however, expressed her dismay as no surgery is conducted in several district hospitals due to a lack of anesthesiologists, and many modern medical equipments remain unused there. Democracy must continue to sustain country's dev momentum: PM Hasina She asked the physicians to perform their duties properly at the hospitals, particularly in rural areas, by remaining at their workstations. "Everyone (physician) wants to stay in Dhaka, and no one wants to go out of the city. Discharge your duties properly," she said. Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, and President of Bangladesh Medical Association Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, among others, were present at the function presided over by DMC Alumni Trust Chairman Dr Julfiker Rahman Khan.

Police recovered the body of a man from the city's Lalbagh police station area on Friday. The identity of the deceased, aged around 35, could not be ascertained immediately, said police. Nuton Miah, sub-inspector (SI) of Lalbagh police station, said they found the man lying unconscious near the BGB-2 gate around 11:15am. Later, they took him to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead around 12:20pm, the SI added. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy, SI Nuton Miah said.

A 70-year-old death row convict died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Wednesday night, police said. Manik Mia, an inmate of Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur, was undergoing treatment at Shaheed Tajuddin Medical College Hospital for the last few days after he fell seriously sick. The 70-year-old, from Tangail's Mirzapur, was referred to DMCH today as his condition started to worsen, Ismail, assistant chief prison guard of Kashimpur Central Jail, said. Read more: Prisoner dies while undergoing treatment at Gazipur hospital Manik was declared dead at the emergency department of DMCH at 8.05pm, he added. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy, Inspector Bachhu Miah, in-charge DMCH Police Outpost, said.

A youth succumbed to his injuries after being knocked down by an unidentified vehicle in the capital's Jatrabari Saturday evening, police said. The deceased Shafiqul Islam (18) was from village Balia of Bauphal, Patuakhali. He worked as a lathe operator at a factory in Muslim Nagar, Jatrabari. The deceased's father Kabir Hawladar said: "The accident occurred at 5:30pm in Jatrabari's Rayerbag as Shafiqul was crossing the road." The critically injured Shafiqul was rushed to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he was declared dead at 9:45pm, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH Police Outpost. "The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy. The vehicle involved in the accident is yet to be identified," Bachchu added.

Police recovered the body of a newborn baby girl from the garden gate of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Wednesday.  Sources at the DMCH said, on information, a team police from Shahbagh police station went to the spot and recovered the body at 10:30 am. READ: Jatrabari cylinder blast: Another victim dies at DMCH Sub-Inspector of the police station Deepak Bala said it was known immediately who had left the body of the one-day old baby there but police are trying to find it out. READ: Incarcerated war criminal dies at DMCH

Faced with a severe shortage of ICU and general beds the government hospitals in capital Dhaka are struggling to cope with a steady stream of Covid-19 patients, many of them coming from outside the city in critical condition. The rush has filled the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to the brim and forced the authorities to admit patients more than their capacity. And yet many have been kept in the waiting list for a bed, while others have simply been asked to hunt beds in other hospitals. That includes even the critical patients who need intensive care. Read: Khulna division sees 46 Covid deaths amid deepening crisis According to the Health Department, there are 16 government hospitals in the capital dedicated to Covid patients. Three of these hospitals don’t have any ICU. Seven of the remaining 13 hospitals had no ICU bed empty as of Saturday.    In the remaining six hospitals, only 40 ICU beds were available as of Saturday, said the authorities adding things are changing by hours.   Read Liquid Medical Oxygen and Covid-19 Treatment: Things we need to know The pressure has mounted on the Dhaka hospitals as patients are arriving from other adjoining district hospitals for shortage of ICU facilities there. The few ICU beds are already full. ICU beds are not easily available in the districts. An average of 25 patients need ICU in the hospitals designated for coronavirus in the capital.

The injured workers undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in connection with the massive factory fire in Rupganj were given medical assistance of Tk 50,000 from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation fund under the Ministry of Labor and Employment on Saturday. Today, the secretary of the ministry KM Abdus Salam handed over a check of Tk 50,000 for medical aid to each of the three workers undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. A total of Tk 11 lakh has been handed over to 22 injured workers including those undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and a private hospital in Rupganj. Besides, Tk 2 lac will be provided to the deceased upon confirming their identities, KM Abdus Salam  told reporters. Earlier on Friday, State Minister for Labor and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian pledged that Legal action will be taken against the owners of the Rupganj factory where over 50 workers died in a fire, if there is evidence of their negligence. Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames It is when she said that  the family of the deceased would be provided with Tk 2 lac and the injured Tk 50,000 tomorrow from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation fund under the labor ministry. Earlier on Saturday, police arrested Md Abul Hashem, chairman of the group Sajeeb Group that owns the factory, his four sons -- Hashem Bin Hashem, Tareq Ibrahim, Tawsib Ibrahim and Tanjim Ibrahim-- and its CEO Shahan Sha Azad, DGM Mamunur Rashid and head of admin Salauddin. The eight will be produced before court later in the day, said Superintendent of Police (Narayanganj) Md Zaidul Alam. So far 52 workers, some of them reportedly teen-aged boys and girls, were killed in the devastating fire that tore through the seven-story factory that produced foods and beverages such as juice, cold drinks, toast biscuits and laccha semai. According to the fire service, huge amount of plastic and packaging materials in the building may have fuelled the fire in just a few minutes after it broke out. They said the blocked door at the factory’s staircase has caused so many deaths that could have been avoided. Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, 4 sons, CEO among 8 arrested It took around 27 hours for 18 fire fighting units to douse the blaze completely as at some floors huge amounts of inflammable substances were stockpiled. On Friday noon, after breaking the locked door of the fourth floor, fire fighters discovered rows of bodies burnt to ashes.   Fire fighters recovered 49 bodies from the floor and sent them to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s morgue, which took the death toll to 52 from the tragic incident. None of the 49 bodies could be identified yet as they have completely been charred. Three others died from injuries after jumping off the building on Thursday.

The icddr,b handed over essential supplies containing medical equipment and medicine to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients on Wednesday. This is part of a grant agreement between icddr,b and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to strengthen icddr,b Dhaka Hospital’s capacity to provide COVID-19 treatment to its staff, and also supporting a healthcare facility serving underprivileged people in Dhaka city. The medical supplies comprised of three units of High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC), 20 units of HFNC accessories, three units of patient monitor, 170 vials of broad-spectrum antiviral medication Remdesivir, and 100 vials of anticoagulant injection, all of which are aimed at reinforcing DMCH’s COVID-19 response. The handover ceremony took place at DMCH and was attended by icddr,b’s Head, Hospitals Dr Baharul Alam and Brigadier General Md Nazmul Haque, Director, DMCH. Dr Alam said, “The coronavirus pandemic has led to strained healthcare systems not only in Bangladesh but around the world. Many thanks to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for extending their support in strengthening our capacities in treating more patients with quality care. “I am also thankful to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for the support it provides by treating referral patients requiring multidisciplinary care sent from icddr,b Dhaka Hospital,” he added. Brig Gen Haque said, “icddr,b and Dhaka Medical College Hospital have close cooperation in relation to patient care. We are grateful for the generosity of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and icddr,b for their support of live-saving equipment and medicines. These will certainly boost our treatment effort by many folds.” Dr Alauddin Al-Azad, Deputy Director, Dr Md Khalequzzaman Khan, Deputy Director, Dr Md Ashraful Alam, Assistant Director, Dr Halima Sultana Haque, Assistant Director, Dr Ashrafun Nahar, Assistant Director, Dr Md Saad Ullah, Senior Store Officer of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shihab Uddin Ahmed, Senior Manager, Hospital, of icddr,b were also present at the handover ceremony.