The Supreme Court has directed United Hospital authorities today to pay -- as initial payment -- Tk 25 lakh each to the families of four victims who were killed in a fire at the hospital's isolation unit on May 27 last year.
United Hospital will have to pay Tk 25 lakh in 30 days from the date of receiving the apex court order. Otherwise, it will be in contempt of court, United Hospital's lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan said.
A full bench of the Appellate Division of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, delivered the order after holding a hearing on the leave to appeal petition filed by United Hospital authorities. The petition challenged a High Court order that had asked the authorities to pay Tk 30 lakh each as an initial payment to the families of the four victims, who were killed in a fire at its isolation unit on May 27 last year.
Following three separate writ petitions moved on behalf of the victims' families, the HC on July 15 last year directed the United Hospital authorities to pay Tk 30 lakh to each of the victims' families.
The victims were Vernon Anthony Paul (75), Riyajul Alam (45), Khodeja Begum (70), Monir Hossain (75), and Md Mahbub (50).
Lawyer Tanjib-Ul Alam appeared for United Hospital, while lawyers Niaz Mohammad Mahboob and Hassan MS Azim appeared for the victims.
