“Just give me back my child; I ask for nothing else.” Drenched in tears, Mridul Islam uttered these words repeatedly as he mourned the sudden demise of his four-and-a-half-year-old son, Aavan. The young boy breathed his last on Saturday, 3 October, at around 5:00 PM whilst undergoing treatment at Universal Medical College Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka.
The heartbreaking loss has plunged the family into profound grief. The parents attribute the child’s untimely death to severe medical malpractice, an excessive prescription of heavy antibiotics, and the absence of a specialist consultant in the intensive care unit. Independent verification of these claims remains pending.
According to family sources, Aavan was admitted to Universal Medical College Hospital on 28 September presenting with a fever and abdominal pain. He walked into the healthcare facility in active spirits, as his father recalled. His appetite remained normal throughout the initial days of his stay, with his family bringing home-cooked meals for him. Over the phone, the toddler had repeatedly pleaded with his father to take him back home.
Initial medical intervention began on the suspicion that Aavan was suffering from dengue fever. However, his family maintained that despite conducting multiple diagnostic tests at the hospital, every result returned negative. Allegations suggest that clinicians continued treatment framed around dengue management despite these clear laboratory findings.
By 2 October, the situation deteriorated precipitously, necessitating Aavan’s transfer to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Relatives alleged that no specialist doctor was physically present in the ICU to manage the critical patient. Instead, care was administered via telephone instructions from an off-site consultant. Throughout this period, hospital staff repeatedly assured the family that the child’s condition was steadily improving.
Contrary to these reassurances, Aavan’s condition spiralled downward. The family asserted that high doses of potent antibiotics caused severe complications, triggering a state of shock syndrome that ultimately proved fatal.
Adding to their anguish, the family faced reluctance from hospital authorities when attempting to obtain the official case summary and treatment records. Upon eventually securing the paperwork, the family noted that the medical summary recorded a bacterial bloodstream infection alongside shock syndrome—findings they argue warrant a thorough, independent investigation.
Determining the exact cause of death in pediatric cases requires a complete examination of clinical history, diagnostic results, medication dosages, physician decisions, and physiological changes prior to collapse. An objective inquiry into both the medical documentation and statements from attending clinicians will be critical to establishing accountability.
Mridul Islam, a media professional, shared a remarkably close bond with his only child. The family has now departed for their ancestral village home to perform the final rites, carrying the child they had brought to the hospital walking on his own feet just days earlier.
The grieving family is preparing to initiate legal proceedings against the hospital management and the attending doctors. While nothing can restore their loss, they are demanding a transparent investigation to uncover the truth behind Aavan’s passing and ensure legal action if professional misconduct is proven.
