Toxic Paracetamol: 2 drug officials suspended

The health ministry has suspended two officials of the drug administration for the negligence in dealing with a case filed for manufacturing toxic Paracetamol that killed 28 children in 2009.

The two officials are assistant director of the Directorate General of Drug Administration Shafiqul Islam and its deputy director Altaf Hossain.

Read more: Toxic Paracetamol: HC admonishes health secretary

Health Secretary (service) Sirajul Haque Khan informed this to the High Court today after he appeared before the bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan as per its yesterday's order.

Sirajul also apologised to the HC for not taking actions against the drug officials earlier.

The HC accepted the apology and exempted the health secretary from the personal appearance before it in this connection.

Yesterday, the same bench ordered Secretary Sirajul to appear before it today (August 24) for offering his explanation over the inaction against Shafiqul and Altaf.

This court has been asking for taking action against Shafiqul and Altaf since March this year, but no action was taken, the HC said yesterday.

From June to August in 2009, at least 28 children across the country died of renal failure allegedly caused by Rid Pharma's paracetamol syrups and suspensions.

In August of 2009, Shafiqul Islam, the then superintendent of drug administration, filed the case with the Dhaka Drug Court.

On November 28 last year, the drug court acquitted all five of Rid Pharma's officials.

Two officials of the drug administration involved in the case knowingly violated due procedure of law, and exhibited sheer negligence, inefficiency and incompetence in dealing with the case, the verdict said.

Shafiqul Islam and Altaf Hossain were drug superintendents in 2009.