Another newborn stolen, from Pabna hospital

Just four months since a newborn went missing from Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, a similar incident has occurred in Pabna. A middle-aged woman in the guise of a patient kidnapped a three-day-old girl from a ward in Pabna Medical College Hospital on Tuesday evening

Hospital sources said Sheley Khatun, 25, wife of Ukil Uddin of Khoyersuti village in Pabna Sadar upazila gave birth to a girl on Sunday night.

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"As the baby's condition was delicate she was referred to the paediatrics ward for better treatment," says Halima Khatun, the child's grandmother. "When I was carrying the baby to the ward at about 7:00pm, a middle-aged woman in the guise of a patient took the baby in her lap, saying she would stop the baby crying."

Within a few minutes, the woman left the ward with the baby, Halima added.

"We told the doctors and nurses in the ward but they did not take the matter seriously," she claims, blaming the hospital authority's negligence for the incident.

Dr Shamol Kumar Boshak, assistant director-in-charge rejected the allegation, saying the hospital authority informed the police and Rab immediately.

Abdulla Al Hasan, officer-in-charge of Pabna Sadar Police Station, said law enforcers raided different areas to recover the missing baby but have not yet found any clue.

The hospital authorities will form an inquiry committee to investigate the matter, Dr Boshak said.

Angry patients and visitors demanded installation of CCTV cameras so that security can be ensured in the hospital.

Ahmed Ul Haque Rana, member of the hospital management committee, said the hospital authority has taken the initiative to install CCTV cameras.