Patient dies after jumping from eighth floor of Dhaka Medical College Hospital

A female patient died after reportedly jumping from the eighth floor of the new building at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) early Friday (July 31).

The incident took place around 5:15am, , authorities confirmed.

The deceased was identified as Riya Khatun, 20, daughter of Latif Mallik from Badurdanga village in Pabna Sadar upazila.

According to family members, Riya had been suffering from mental health issues for a prolonged period. They said she became psychologically distressed following prolonged illness and personal challenges, including being unable to conceive after her marriage to expatriate Al Amin around three and a half years ago. After receiving treatment at several healthcare facilities, she was admitted to Ward 802 of the hospital's new building three days before the incident.

Riya's father, Latif Mallik, said relatives of another patient alerted him early in the morning that his daughter was attempting to jump. He rushed to stop her, but despite efforts by family members and others present in the ward, she climbed over and leapt from the building.

She landed on the roof of a private vehicle parked below and sustained critical injuries. Hospital staff immediately rushed her to the emergency department, where doctors declared her dead.

Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the DMCH Police Camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for legal formalities. Police have informed the concerned police station and launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.