A three-year-old girl who was suffering from cold and sore throat died allegedly due to “wrong treatment” at a private hospital in Chittagong city early yesterday.

The deceased, Raifa Khan, was the daughter of Rubel Khan, a senior reporter of the Bangla daily Samakal.

Family members said the toddler was feeling unwell since she caught cold a few days ago. “She also couldn't eat due to pain in the throat. So, we got her admitted at Max Hospital on Thursday evening,” said the father.

The next day, a child specialist from University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC), Dr Bidhan Roy Chowdhury, was called in, and after seeing her, he advised some medication.

The human chain was held in front of Chittagong Press Club yesterday. Photo: Rajib Raihan

On Friday night, the duty physician administered her antibiotic but after taking that she started having convulsion, said Raifa's father.

“When we asked the duty doctor, he contacted the consultant over the phone and gave her an injection (around 12:20am),” he said. “Soon afterwards, the condition of my daughter was deteriorating, and she died around 12:30am.”

The family members said the death came as a huge shock because the girl was playing around just a day ago -- till Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, following information of the death, journalist leaders rushed to the hospital and urged the authorities to ensure punishment for the doctors concerned.

As the situation heated up, a team from Chawk Bazar Police Station came to the hospital and picked up duty doctor Debashish Sengupta, a duty nurse and a superintendent of the hospital.

On information, leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) visited the police station and asked the law enforcers why they “arrested” the three. They also talked to journalists, and a heated exchange followed.

At one point, the detainees were released from police custody on condition that a probe-body would be formed with the civil surgeon of Chittagong as its chief, and punitive action would be taken if “negligence in treatment” or “wrong treatment” is found in investigation, said Hasan Ferdous, general secretary of the Chittagong Union of Journalists (CUJ).

Child specialist Bidhan Roy could not be contacted for his comment as he did not pick up his phone.

Meanwhile, journalist leader Hasan Ferdous alleged that a BMA leader “misbehaved” with journalists at the police station.

“Patients often die due to wrong treatment... The latest victim is Raifa. We want a legal recourse for this,” he said.

Witnesses said that during an altercation, BMA's Chittagong unit general secretary Dr Faisal Iqbal Chowdhury threatened that doctors would stop treating journalists in the port city.

Dr Faisal, however, said he went to the police station and asked for the reason of the arrest. “If the doctor is found guilty in investigation, he may be arrested and punished. Otherwise, he cannot be arrested while performing his duty.” He also said, “We don't know whether there was negligence in treatment... It will be revealed through investigation.”

The BMA leader also denied the allegation of “misbehaviour”. “Rather some journalists misbehaved with me but I did not mind because I understood how they were feeling at the moment,” he said.

Contacted, Dr Liakat Ali, managing director of Max Hospital, said they could not understand why the condition of the child deteriorated all of a sudden.

“She was doing well till 11:30pm,” said Liakat. “She started having convulsion around 12:20am and the duty doctor promptly started treatment of convulsion but unfortunately she died.”

He said, “We formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident. Dr Debashish would be off duty till the investigation is finished.”

Another investigation committee was formed by the government with Civil Surgeon Dr Azizur Rahaman Siddique as head. The five-member team will start their inquiry today.

Rubel Khan told The Daily Star that he would not get his child back, but he wants a proper investigation and punishment for the persons responsible.

Meanwhile, journalists yesterday formed a human chain in front of Chittagong Press Club, demanding cancellation of the accused physicians' registration, a fair investigation, and punishment for those responsible.

Omar Faruk, secretary general of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFJU); Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, former secretary general of BFUJ; Shaban Mahmud, former president of Dhaka Union of Journalists; Nazim Uddin Shaymol, president of CUJ; Hasan Ferdous, general secretary of CUJ; and Kolim Sorwar, president of Chittagong Press Club, were present at the human chain.