- 3 newborns dead 

- Hospital found empty, illegal

- Newborn unit runs with only one 'doctor'

- Probe body to be formed

Authorities have sealed a shady private hospital in Dhaka's Lalmatia after three newborns died allegedly from negligence. No one has been detained yet.

The four-storied Asian Cardiac General Hospital, located in Block-B, was found void of any staff this afternoon. Locals say the hospital was riddled with complaints in the past.

Guardian of a newborn alleged that the hospital's newborn unit ran with only one doctor Shishir Ranjan Das – who claimed to be an associate professor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

"Last night there was chaos in the hospital," said Motahar Hossain, father of a newborn who is under treatment at the hospital. "We heard that three babies died."

"Doctor Shishir came around 11:30pm and declared them dead. We heard two more newborns died in the hospital on Thursday," he told The Daily Star.

The "doctor" could not be reached over telephone despite several attempts.

Three babies died in the hospital last night, Jamal Uddin Mir, officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station said. "We found the hospital empty after we went there this afternoon."

The hospital was running illegally, said Prof Samiul Islam Sadi, director of hospital and clinic at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). "We have sealed the hospital."

Visiting card of Shishir Ranjan Das who claims to be an associate professor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Photo: Shaheen Mollah

A probe committee will be formed to investigate the incident, he said.

Locals said the hospital has been running for the last five years. There have been serious complaints against it in the past.