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“Brother, they killed my son,” cried a grieving father after his only child died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dhaka.
Four-year-old Avan died at Universal Medical College Hospital in the capital’s Mohakhali area on Saturday. His family has alleged medical negligence, excessive use of antibiotics and the absence of the doctor responsible for his treatment.
Avan’s father, Mridul Islam, said his son had been healthy and had walked into the hospital on his own.
“My child was healthy. He came to the hospital walking. Give me back my child; I don’t need anything else,” he said while crying inconsolably.
Mridul said he did not have a regular job and had been doing small jobs while preparing to send his son to school.
“I don’t have a job. I do small jobs because I wanted to send my son to school. Give me back my child,” he said.
He said he and his wife had decided not to have another child because they feared it would reduce the love and attention they could give Avan.
“We planned not to have another child. I never left Avan with anyone. I used to take him around on my motorcycle,” he said, adding that he had even saved money after his son said he wanted a red toy car.
Overcome with grief, Mridul repeatedly alleged that his son had died because of wrong treatment.
“They killed my son. I cannot believe he is gone. Kill me instead. Believe me, my son came here walking. They killed him through wrong treatment,” he said.
According to the father, Avan had remained in the ward for three days and was eating normally. Family members had brought him chicken and semai from home, and they had videos of him eating.
“He was eating and telling me, ‘Dad, please come. I don’t want to stay here,’” Mridul said.
Expressing anger over the hospital authorities’ role, he also alleged that staff had failed to properly insert a cannula and questioned their competence.
The family has called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Avan’s death and alleged negligence in his treatment.