Writ seeks Tk 3cr compensation for Titash’s family

A writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directive on the government to give TK 3 crore compensation to the family of Titash Ghosh, who died in an ambulance on a ferry on way to Dhaka due to three-hour delay while waiting for a joint secretary.

A rights organization, Legal Support and People’s Right, submitted the petition also requesting the HC to direct the government to take steps so that the ferries prioritise passing ambulances carrying critical patients.

In the petition, the organistaion appealed to the HC to order the government to conduct an inquiry into the incident of Titash’s death and to take appropriate legal action against the persons responsible for it.

Advocate Jahir Uddin Limon, chairman of Legal Support and People’s Right, told The Daily Star that the HC is yet to fix time for holding hearing on the writ petition.

HOW DID TITASH DIE?

Thirteen-year-old Titash Ghosh, a student of Kalia Pilot Secondary School in Narail, was critically injured in a motorbike accident in Narail on July 24 evening.

A day later, the doctors referred him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for an emergency operation.

The family with the child in an ambulance was coming to Dhaka and arrived at the Kathalbari Ferry Terminal in Munshiganj around 8:00pm on July 25.

A ferry called “Ferry Cumilla” was already at the pontoon but it had its gate closed and was not loading vehicles.

The family learnt that the ferry would be late as it was waiting for an additional secretary.

The ambulance had committed to the pontoon and could not reverse or go to another pontoon because of queues of vehicles around it.

The ferry started loading vehicles around 10:20pm when the authorities learnt that the high official was close to the terminal.

Around 11:00pm, the official arrived and the ferry started moving. Titash died on the ferry, family sources said.