One death, many questions

People die in accidents other than natural deaths. Such incidents are not new. When accidents happen due to human negligence and lack of responsibility, they should be considered as culpable homicide or first-degree murder. They raise serious concerns about the value of human life and the need for accountability. Bangladesh, unfortunately experiences accidents that are caused by human actions or negligence. The tragic incident at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital in Gazipur is a stark example of such a situation.

On May 12 (Sunday), 53-year-old Mumtaz Begum was being taken to the cardiology department from the 11th floor to the 4th floor on the advice of the doctor. The patient's daughter and other relatives were with him. But the elevator got stuck in the middle of the 9th floor. Ms. Begum, along with her daughter and other relatives, faced suffocating conditions. They called the liftman who arrived three minutes later. But seeing the incident, he left and returned after 45 minutes. Emergency services called 999 and the police arrived and rescued them. Just a minute or two before the police arrived, Mamata Begum, a heart patient, died.

The Shaheed Tajuddin Medical College Hospital is a government hospital with a reputation for poor performance. The purchase for 100 taka is questioned, not the purchase for two or five hundred, but there are allegations of buying for 10 thousand taka. Who will answer this negligence, this irresponsibility? Liftman, or medical college administration, or the ministry? Searching may uncover many unknown things.

In that elevator, there was no provision for air conditioning or fans. It's known that several elevators, including the one mentioned, have malfunctioning fans. An elevator is the type of thing that doesn't just function once installed; it requires maintenance. This fact surely isn't unknown to the authorities! If a lift is serviced properly and undergoes regular maintenance, it can last for a hundred years. In our neighboring country India, millions of lifts are in operation. In fact, some lifts are nearly a century old. Alongside modern elevators, vintage gate lifts are also seen in various regions. Surprisingly, they are still operational. However, this doesn't mean accidents don't happen there. But it's very minimal, especially compared to Bangladesh.

Not only elevators, but even fans are malfunctioning in hospitals in Gazipur. What should be done if fans are constantly breaking down in a hospital? There are various qualities of elevators. Bangladesh now imports elevators from various advanced countries. As an elevator is available for Tk 10 lakh, same size lift is also available for Tk 1.5 crore. Which one to buy solely depends on the buyer's preference. There are numerous complaints in Bangladesh regarding the purchase of elevators. Officials from various ministries and departments travel to different countries to buy elevators. They even travel to distant countries like Ukraine and Finland. There are allegations in newspapers and magazines that elevators have been purchased from the manufacturer at a lower standard or at prices several times higher than usual through collusion.

If there's a genuine investigation into the unfortunate death of that woman, then it's necessary to also look into which country's company's elevator was purchased and at what cost. My personal opinion is that there might also be a significant discrepancy found there. However, investigations in Bangladesh have been an eyewash for a long time. People's trust in investigations is quite low. This issue is widely discussed in the social media with numerous comments.

The Gazipur correspondent of "Desh" television has reported that journalists are not allowed access to this hospital in Gazipur. Instead, they are mistreated. A hospital is a service-oriented institution, and allegations of denying journalist access are serious. Restricting journalists' access to hospitals needs to be investigated thoroughly. It's crucial for a thorough investigation and fair trial regarding the death of Momtaz Begum. Conducting a comprehensive investigation into such incidents is extremely urgent to ensure accountability of government officials and employees. Without it, accountability cannot be established.

Author: Literary and Juvenalist