A 13-year-old girl’s death at Islami Bank Hospital in Dhaka’s Shahjahanpur area has sparked an incident of vandalism, with her family alleging medical negligence and accusing the hospital of failing to arrange timely surgery.
The girl, identified as Mahima, died on Saturday morning after being admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. Police said the incident of vandalism took place late on Sunday night, following a dispute between the family and hospital authorities over the circumstances surrounding her death.
According to police, Mahima was taken to the hospital on Friday evening after suffering intense abdominal pain. Doctors at the emergency department advised an ultrasound examination. The test reportedly showed that her appendix had ruptured.
Hospital authorities told police that Mahima was in a critical condition when she was brought to the facility. Following the ultrasound findings, preparations were made to carry out surgery. However, the teenager died on Saturday morning before she could be taken to the operating theatre.
Her relatives have disputed the hospital’s account. They told police that doctors had failed to provide treatment quickly enough and alleged that Mahima could have survived if surgery had been performed in time. The family subsequently sought compensation from the hospital, according to police.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Motijheel Division Additional Deputy Commissioner Rezwanul Islam said the family had been demanding compensation from the hospital following the teenager’s death. When the demand was not met, relatives allegedly attacked the hospital and damaged property late on Sunday night.
The conflicting accounts have left the circumstances surrounding Mahima’s death at the centre of the dispute. The family maintains that a delay in treatment was responsible for the teenager’s death, while the hospital says she was already in a serious condition when she arrived.
A ruptured appendix can lead to serious complications because infection may spread within the abdomen. Such cases can require urgent medical assessment and treatment. However, the available information does not establish whether any delay occurred in Mahima’s treatment or whether her condition had already become critical before she reached the hospital.
Determining whether there was medical negligence would require a review of her medical records, diagnostic reports and the sequence of treatment provided after her admission. The timing of the ultrasound, the decision to prepare for surgery and the circumstances immediately preceding her death would all be relevant to such an assessment.
The incident also highlights the tension that can arise between hospitals and relatives when a patient dies during treatment. Families may seek explanations or compensation when they believe a medical error has occurred, but allegations of negligence need to be established through appropriate investigation rather than assumption.
At the same time, violence and vandalism at healthcare facilities can disrupt medical services and create additional risks for patients, staff and other visitors. Any dispute over treatment is therefore better addressed through formal complaints, investigation and legal procedures.
Police are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident. A proper assessment of the teenager’s treatment and the events leading to her death will be necessary to determine whether there was any lapse in medical care.
