SC stays HC order directing United Hospital to give Tk 30 lakh to fire victims

SC stays HC order directing United Hospital to give Tk 30 lakh to fire victims

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today stayed for eight weeks the High Court order that directed United Hospital authorities to pay Tk 30 lakh in fifteen days as initial payment to each of the families of four victims, who were killed in a fire at its isolation unit on May 27 last year.

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order following a petition filed by the United Hospital authorities seeking stay on the HC directive.

The United Hospital authorities sought stay on the HC directive as the HC passed the order without assessing the damage and without hearing the rule, said Kazi Ershadul Alam, a lawyer for United Hospital.

Lawyers Rokanuddin Mahmud and Mustafizur Rahman Khan appeared for United Hospital while several lawyers, including Aneek R Haque, Muntasir Uddin Ahmed and Niaz Mohammad Mahboob, argued on behalf of the victims' families.

Niaz Mohammad Mahboob, who moved one of the writ petitions, told The Daily Star that the family of Monir Hossain, one of the five victims who were killed in the fire, had already been paid Tk 20 lakh as initial payment by the hospital.