A husband and wife have been detained after allegedly attempting to steal a newborn from Gobindaganj Upazila Health Complex in Gaibandha using an elaborate disguise.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon (10 August), when the woman allegedly posed as a patient who had recently given birth and persuaded the newborn’s grandmother to hand the baby to her. She then left the ward with her husband, allegedly attempting to take the child out of the hospital. Their attempt was foiled after hospital security personnel and local people noticed the commotion and chased them. The newborn was recovered unharmed.
The detained couple have been identified as Sirajul Islam, son of the late Bhola Mia of Phanshitola village in Gobindaganj, and his wife, Shifali Begum. They were subsequently handed over to Gobindaganj police.
According to relatives of the newborn, Rupali Begum, wife of Jahidul Islam of Samsapara village in Taluk Kanupur Union, was admitted to Gobindaganj Upazila Health Complex on Monday morning for childbirth. She later gave birth to a baby boy while receiving treatment at the facility.
As Rupali remained under medical care after delivery, her mother-in-law, Joygun Bewa, was looking after the newborn. At that point, Shifali Begum, who was occupying a nearby bed, allegedly presented herself as another maternity patient.
Shifali reportedly expressed a desire to hold the baby. Without suspecting anything unusual, Joygun handed the newborn to her. After holding the child for some time, Shifali allegedly left the ward with her husband and went downstairs.
The family soon realised that the baby was missing. Joygun raised the alarm, prompting hospital staff, security personnel and people nearby to react quickly. A chase followed, and the couple were intercepted while still carrying the newborn.
Witnesses and relatives said several other people who were allegedly accompanying the couple managed to flee during the pursuit. This has raised questions about whether the incident was carried out by more than the detained pair and whether others were involved in planning or facilitating the attempted theft.
Police arrived at the hospital after the couple were detained and began questioning them. During the initial inquiry, investigators reportedly found indications that the pair may have links to a child-trafficking network. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged attempt, including the manner in which Shifali gained access to the newborn and managed to convince the family that she was a fellow maternity patient.
According to information emerging from the investigation, Shifali had wrapped cloth around her abdomen and waist to make herself appear pregnant or recently delivered. The disguise was allegedly intended to make her presence in the maternity section appear normal and reduce suspicion.
Although the newborn was recovered quickly and returned safely to the family, the incident has prompted renewed concerns about security at healthcare facilities. Maternity wards require particular attention because newborns are especially vulnerable and relatives may sometimes have difficulty distinguishing legitimate patients and carers from outsiders.
The incident also highlights the need for tighter monitoring of access to maternity wards, proper identification of visitors and greater vigilance by families when allowing unfamiliar people to handle newborns. Effective security arrangements can help reduce the risk of child theft while ensuring that legitimate relatives and patients are not unnecessarily inconvenienced.
On Tuesday afternoon (11 August), the newborn’s maternal cousin, Abdur Razzak, filed a case with Gobindaganj Police Station. The case seeks legal action against those allegedly involved in the attempted theft.
Gobindaganj Police Station officer-in-charge Swapan Kumar said Abdur Razzak had filed the case and that the detained husband and wife had been handed over to police. Investigators are examining whether anyone else was involved, he said, adding that efforts would be made to identify and arrest those who fled from the scene.
The rescued newborn is now back with the family and was reported to be safe. However, several questions remain unanswered, including whether an organised child-trafficking group was behind the incident and, if so, what role the detained couple allegedly played in it. Police investigation is expected to establish the wider circumstances of the case.
