HC orders United Hospital to pay Tk 3m each to 4 fire victims’ families

The High Court on Monday ordered the authorities of United Hospital to pay Tk 3 million each to the families of four out of five victims killed in a fire at the hospital on 27 May within 15 days, reports UNB.

The HC bench of justice JBM Hassan and justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition.

It also issued a rule asking the government to explain why directives should not be given to the authorities concerned to provide Tk 150 million to the families of the victims as compensation.

Lawyer Anik R Haque and lawyer Niaz Mohammad Mahbub stood for the petitioner while lawyer Mostafizur Rahman Khan represented United Hospital at the court.

Earlier on 14 July, last year, the HC directed the hospital authorities to pay the four victims Tk 3 million as compensation.

On 21 July, 2020, chamber judge Md Nuruzzaman stayed the High Court order.

The Appellate Division on 20 August, last year, extended the stay order on a High Court directive that had asked to pay Tk 3 million to each of the families of four out of the five victims killed in a fire at United Hospital in the capital on 27 May.

A six-member bench, led by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after hearing an appeal filed by the hospital authorities.

The court did not issue any order over the family of Monir Hossain, who was also killed in the fire, as they settled the matter through out-of-court negotiations with the hospital authorities.

On 27 May 2020, a fire broke out at the coronavirus isolation unit of the United Hospital that killed four men and one woman.

A case was filed against the hospital authorities at Gulshan police station on the charge of "death by negligence".