Nasim warns none will be spared if found guilty

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim today said he was stunned hearing that five officials of Rid Pharmaceuticals Ltd were acquitted in a case filed for manufacturing toxic paracetamol syrups that killed at least 28 children in 2009.

Nasim said he came to know that the judge of the trial court has given opinion blaming negligence of the government officials for acquittal of the five officials of the pharmaceutical company.

Proper steps will be taken if anyone of the drug administration is found guilty in this connection, he warned.

Nasim warned that he would take action if the five officials of the Rid Pharmaceutical Ltd got impunity from the charge due to the negligence of the government officials.

"I will never spare anyone. I want to ensure justice," Nasim said adding that criminal offences have been committed somehow otherwise how and why the children died."

The health minister said people's interest is related to the verdict and raised a question why the people who have lost their children will not get justice?

"I have given responsibility to a secretary to take proper steps after verifying reports of the drug administration and copy of the court verdict," he said.

The five officials of the pharmaceutical company are Managing Director Mizanur Rahman; directors Sheuli Rahman, and Abdul Gani; and pharmacists Mahbubul Islam and Enamul Haque.

Among them, Mizanur Rahman and his wife Sheuli Rahman are currently on bail while the other three are still at large.

From June to August 2009, 28 children died across the country of renal failures caused by the intake of paracetamol syrup and suspension manufactured by Rid Pharma.

On August 10 the same year, Shafiqul Islam, then superintendent of drug administration, filed the case against the accused with Dhaka Drug Court.

Four more cases were filed against them in Brahmanbaria, Comilla, Narayanganj and Sylhet.