An investigation has been launched following the simultaneous deaths of six newborn infants during the early hours of Wednesday, 27 May 2026, at the Ad-din Medical College Hospital in the Moghbazar locality of Dhaka. The fatalities occurred within the facility’s post-operative unit, prompting a swift deployment of law enforcement personnel and specialized forensic units to ascertain the structural or medical cause behind the incident.
Sheikh Zahidul Islam, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the Ramna Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), officially confirmed the deaths on Wednesday morning. Senior officers from the local precinct alongside teams from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are active at the scene to collect physical evidence and assess the ward’s operational conditions.
Incident Dynamics and Patient Conditions
The incident took place inside a post-delivery recovery ward situated on the second floor of the medical complex. According to police reports, the room, which lacked external ventilation windows, housed 11 mothers and six neonates aged between one and two days.
Initial reports from investigators and hospital staff suggest a significant air conditioning (AC) disruption occurred during the night. Between 02:00 am and 03:00 am, one of the recovering mothers requested the air conditioning unit be switched off due to excessive cold. The system remained inactive for approximately an hour, during which time multiple infants allegedly began exhibiting signs of respiratory distress, crying continuously and vomiting. The clinical deterioration escalated towards dawn, with all six infants dying successively by approximately 06:00 am.
The verified operational parameters and chronological sequence of the incident are structured in the table below:
| Operational Parameter | Verified Case Details and Metrics | Administrative Source |
| Location of Incident | Post-operative Ward, 2nd Floor, Ad-din Hospital | Dhaka Metropolitan Police |
| Deceased Demographics | 6 Neonates (Aged 1 to 2 days) | Ramna Division Police |
| Ward Occupancy | 11 Mothers and 6 Newborns | Hospital Clinical Log |
| Initial System Outage | 02:00 am – 03:00 am (AC deactivated) | DMP Assistant Commissioner |
| Critical Escalation | 06:00 am (Severe respiratory failure) | Pediatric Ward Records |
| Investigating Agencies | DMP Ramna Division & Forensic CID | Police Headquarters |
Statements from Law Enforcement and Management
The Assistant Commissioner (AC) of the DMP Ramna Zone, Mazharul Islam, stated that preliminary assessments point toward acute suffocation caused by a lack of proper airflow. The hospital administration has categorised the event as accidental. However, investigators are also evaluating allegations from families regarding a potential refrigerant gas leak from the air conditioning system and subsequent staff negligence during the night.
[Chronological Sequence of the Incident]
02:00 AM: AC Deactivated ──► 03:00 AM: Severe Suffocation/Gas Leak ──► 06:00 AM: Onset of Fatalities
Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Zahidul Islam outlined the ongoing police mobilization:
“We received definitive confirmation that six newborn infants died at the Ad-din Medical College Hospital. At this preliminary stage, we cannot conclusively declare the exact medical cause of death. Regular police teams and forensic specialists are on-site conducting inquiries, and I am personally proceeding to the location to supervise the initial probe.”
Tarikul Islam Mukul, the Director of Administration at Ad-din Hospital, acknowledged the fatalities and stated that the executive management was actively reviewing the ward logs to understand the exact circumstances:
“I was briefed that this tragic event developed during the night shift. I am currently en route to the hospital premises, and a comprehensive disclosure will be made available once we have evaluated the detailed medical reports from the attending staff.”