Only PM, president VVIP: HC

The High Court Division on Wednesday asked the government to explain in three weeks why the parents would not get compensations for the death of 11-year patient Titash Ghosh on July 25 caused by not allowing the ambulance carrying him to get into the ferry at Kathalbari as it was waiting for an additional secretary. 

The delay caused Titash’s death on the ambulance waiting to board the ferry at Kathalbari Ferry Ghat, Madaripur.

Only the president and prime minister are entitled to get VVIP treatments, said the court, adding that government officials are not VIPs.

A bench of  Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader issued the ruling after hearing a public interest writ petition seeking compensations for the parents of Titash.

The court said that the ferries should not wait for anyone except for the president and the PM.The VIPs, and ambulances carrying patients and vehicles carrying the dead, get priority in boarding ferries, said the court. 

As respondents, secretaries of the ministries of shipping and the public administration were asked to explain in four weeks why they would not asked to pay Tk three crore as compensation to the parents of  Titash.

The High Court on Wednesday directed the government to explain in four weeks why it would not asked to pay Tk 3 crore as compensation to the parents of 13-year old Titash Ghosh, who died in an ambulance on a Kathalbari ferry in Madaripur on the way to Dhaka on July 25.

Parents accused Md Abdus Sabur Mondal, head of Digital Service and Public Service Innovation Cluster and E-Service Implementation Specialist of the Access to Information (a2i) Programme at the Prime Minister’s Office of causing the death of Titash.

The ferry, ‘Cumilla’ was already at the pontoon but its gate were kept closed not allowing the ambulance and vehicles to board as it was waiting for Sobur.

The bench directed the public administration ministry secretary to get the incident investigated by a committee led by an additional secretary and submit enquiry report in three weeks.

The PIL writ petition was filed by Legal Support and People’s Rights Foundation.

Titash, a class three student of Kalia Pilot Secondary School in Narail, was being brought to the capital by his parents for treatment critical injuries he had suffered in a motorbike accident in Narail  on July 24.

The ferry waited for Sobur for three hours since 8 PM and it left the ghat at 11 PM after Sobur arrived and boarded it.

Titash died on the ferry, said relatives.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net