Deaths of 6 newborns: DGHS cancels Ad-din Hospital’s licence
Ad-din Medical College Hospital's licence has been cancelled following the "unsatisfactory" response over the deaths of six newborns.
The decision was announced by Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas at a press conference this afternoon.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The hospital can file an appeal or seek a review of the cancellation within 30 days of the licence revocation, he said.
"When a licence is revoked, it ceases to be valid immediately. Since the hospital's licence has been cancelled, it can no longer provide medical services from this moment onward. Therefore, the hospital is not permitted to admit or treat any new patients, including those requiring emergency care,” he said replying to a query.
"The situation is slightly different for patients who are already admitted. However, as the hospital's licence has been revoked, it is not authorised to continue providing services. The authorities may, if they choose, arrange for these patients to be transferred and provided with appropriate care at duly licensed hospitals," he said.
“If the patients seek help, we will support them,” he added.
Replying to another query, he said, “As for what is meant by 'sealed', the specific post-operative unit where the unfortunate incident occurred has been sealed off. Since patients are still admitted in the hospital, sealing the entire facility would not be practical, as it would leave patients trapped inside."
The DGHS DG also said the medical college was overseen by other authorities who can take decision on this. In response to a question on whether the licence was revoked solely because of the deaths of the six infants, he said, "The deaths of the six infants certainly opened our eyes to the mismanagement at the institution. It was through this tragic incident that we became aware of the situation. We then conducted an on-site inspection, during which the broader picture emerged. So, the two issues are closely linked.”
Meanwhile, the High Court today set next Sunday (June 14, 2026) for hearing a writ petition filed seeking its directive on the authorities concerned to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident and to immediately provide Tk 1 core in compensation to each affected family.
HC bench of Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury set the date after petitioner Advocate Md Eunus Ali Akond prayed for holding hearing on the matter.
Six newborns, aged between one and four days, died between 5:00am and 9:00am on May 27 at Ad-din Hospital, triggering widespread public outrage and prompting health authorities to shut down the post-operative room and form two investigation committees.
The health ministry formed one committee, led by its Joint Secretary Md Mohsin, which submitted its report on June 3.
Meanwhile, the DGHS also formed a three-member committee, led by its Director (Disease Control) Prof Halimur Rashid, as the hospital falls under its direct purview.
The investigation found clear negligence by hospital authorities, nurses and staff, as well as the absence of an on-duty physician, to be responsible for the deaths of six newborns.
The DGHS probe committee also found that severe overcrowding in a small post-operative room, coupled with an air conditioner remaining switched off for a prolonged period and the absence of any alternative ventilation system created conditions unsuitable for the survival of the newborns.
Additionally, the building’s infrastructure was unsuitable for operating as a 700-bed healthcare facility, and the post-operative ward in question was wholly inadequate for providing post-operative care, it said.
The 700-bed medical facility is one of eight hospitals and four medical colleges run by the Ad-din Foundation.
The foundation’s Executive Director, Sheikh Mohiuddin, who is also the executive director of Ad-din Women Medical College, is the incumbent president of the Bangladesh Private Medical College Association.
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