Police arrested four in connection with the deaths of 13 people who died from allegedly consuming spurious alcohol in Bogura district in the last three days.
At least 13 people died after consuming alcohol at different places of the district since last Saturday, according to locals and family members of the victims.
Police, however, acknowledged the deaths of eight people so far, reports our Bogura correspondent.
"We found that eight people in the town died since last Saturday after consuming poisonous liquor collected from homeopath shops," said Humayan Kabir, officer-in-charge of the Sadar Police Station.
Monower Hossain Ripon, brother of a person who fell sick after having rectified spirit, filed a case against four homeopath shops owners and some unknown persons with the police station yesterday, the OC said.
The accused are: Shahinur Rahman Shahin (42), owner of Khan Homeo Herbal; Nur Mohammad (65), supervisor of Punam and Parul Homeo Laboratories; Nurnabi (58) owner of Parul Homeo Lab; and Nur Islam (60), owner of the Punam Homeo Lab.
Nur Islam, Nur Mohhamad and Nurunabi are brothers, said police.
Among the accused, police have so far arrested Nurnabi, the OC said.
Three other arrestees are: Md Abdul Khalek (55), owner of the Moon Homeo Hall, Md Abu Jewel (55), a staff of Hasan Homeo Pharmacy and Shahidul Islam Sabur (55), proprietor of the Korotoa Homeo and Laboratories Private Limited, according to police.
Police arrested them after conducting various drives since February 1, the OC said.
The arrestees admitted that they used to sell rectified spirit to the local consumers, said Ali Ashraf Bhuiyan, superintendent of police in Bogura.
Police started a drive in the laboratories of the Parul Homeo Lab in Fulbari area of the town at 11:00am today, said police.
Contacted, Md Shareful Islam Mollah, assistant director of the Bogura Drug Administration, said, "Khan Homeopath has license to sell homeopath medicine. They have no right to keep or sell rectified spirit."
On the other hand, Punam and Parul Homeo labs did not renew their licenses for importing rectified spirit for manufacturing homeopath medicines since 2005 and 2015 respectively.
"We will cancel their licenses and applications for renewing the licenses," said the assistant director.
mj/
