HC forms probe body over Cumilla newborn's head injury

The High Court today formed a committee to investigate the incident of splitting the head of a newborn during a caesarean surgery in Cumilla Medical College back on March 18.

The two-member committee is headed by the head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). The other member of the committee is National Professor and Gynecology expert Dr Shaila Khatun.

The court asked the committee to submit the probe report before this court by April 11.

The HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque passed the order during hearing a rule issued by this court on March 25 in this regard.

The court also directed five doctors of Cumilla Medical College and Hospital who were involved in the operation to appear before this court on April 11. The five doctors are Karuna Rani Karmokar, Nasrin Aktar Popi, Janibul Hoque, Dilruba Sharmin and Ayesha Afroj.

The HC today exonerated the civil surgeon and director of Cumilla Medical College and Hospital from personal appearance before this court in connection with the incident.

The civil surgeon and the director and the five doctors appeared before the HC bench in connection with the incident today in line with its March 25 order.

According to the news reports, expecting mother Julekha Begum, 30, wife of Shafik Kazi from Muradnagar Upazila of Cumilla was admitted to CMCH with labour pain on March 17. Doctors led by Dr Karuna Rani Karmokar, head of the Gynaecology at CMCH, operated on Julekha on March 18, a daily reported.

The doctors cut the uterus of Julekha and thus the baby's head during the operation, it said. The baby's body was dumped near the hospital through its security guard, it added.

On behalf of Ain o Salish Kendra, four lawyers -- M Asaduzzaman, Farhana Islam Khan, Anisul Hasan and Shagufta Tabassum Ahmed -- placed the newspaper reports before the court.