The High Court has today directed the United Hospital authorities to give Tk 30 lakh to each of the families of four victims out of five who were killed in the deadly fire at its coronavirus unit in the capital on May 27.
The court further directed to pay the money in compensation to the victims' families in 15 days after receiving the copy of the HC order.
The virtual High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order on Wednesday after hearing five separate writ petitions.
Barrister Hasan MS Azim, Barrister Aneek R Haque, Barrister Muntasir Uddin Ahmed, Barrister Syed Redwan Hasan, Advocate Niaz Muhammad Mahboob, and Barrister Shahida Sultana Shila defended the stood in favour of the writs while Barrister Rokanuddin Mahumd, Barrister Kazi Ershadul Alam and Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan stood for the United Hospital.
Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the state.
Earlier on June 29, the HC ordered both parties to come to an amicable settlement on compensation. Although the four families did not agree with the hospital's proposal about compensation, only one family of victim Monir Hossain agreed with the 20 lakh compensation proposal.
Earlier on June 2, the High Court sought separate probe reports from four authorities concerned on the deadly fire at the isolation unit of United Hospital in the capital that killed five patients. Then the courts also asked the hospital authorities to file a written statement within June 14.
Separately, the court also asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Fire Service and Civil Defence and Rajuk authorities to submit reports in this regard.
On June 15, a Fire Service and Civil Defence probe report submitted to the High Court said effective measures could have saved the lives of the patients who died in the fire at the Covid-19 unit of United Hospital.
The report also stated that the negligence on the part of the hospital authorities in preventing and controlling the fire.
Five people were killed as a fire originated from an explosion of an air conditioner, broke out at the isolation unit of United Hospital on May 27 and spread soon fast due to gusty wind.
nh/wi
