Eleven members of two families hospitalised in Sylhet

Eleven persons of two families have fallen ill in Sylhet after eating at a family function.

They were admitted to the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital on late Thursday night.

It is yet not clear whether anyone had tampered with the food.

SOMCH medicine department’s Registrar Bidhur Kanti Shaha said the victims had told them that they fell sick after having dinner.

“They had signs of poisoning but, without tests, we can’t be certain if the food was adulterated,” he said.

Most of the victims are members of a 70-year-old Jamir Uddin’s family of the Baluchar area.

His nephew Mahmudul Hasan said several others from a neighbouring family had joined them at a family function on Thursday night.

Apart from Jamir, his sister Surai Bibi, 60, son Kamal Hossain, 26, daughter-in-law Josna Begum, 30, grandson Abdul Majid, 14, and granddaughter Sumaiya Begum, 11, had fallen ill as well.

The other five could not be identified.

Dr Shaha said two of the injured were in a critical state.

Hasan said the kitchen’s window was open.

“Someone may have mixed something poisonous with the food with the intention to rob the house,” he added.