Father of Shahed, wanted in fake test report scam, dies of COVID-19

Serajul Karim, the father of Regent Hospital Chairman Mohammad Shahed aka Shahed Karim who is wanted in a fake COVID-19 test report scam, has died from the disease caused by coronavirus.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 9 July 2020, 08:33 PM
Updated : 9 July 2020, 08:39 PM

Serajul, in his late 60s, passed away at Universal Medical College Hospital in Dhaka’s Mohakhali on Thursday night, six days after Shahed took him to the hospital.

Regent Hospital Chairman Mohammad Shahed aka Shahed Karim is one the run after facing allegations of issuing fake COVID-19 test reports

Shahed had told the hospital that Serajul had tested negative three times, but the doctors decided to run a test again as he had the symptoms, said the hospital’s Managing Director Dr Ashis Kumar Chakrabarty.

The report came back positive when Serajul underwent the test at Universal.

The doctors moved him to the intensive care unit on Jul 6 and put him on life support two days ago when his condition continued to worsen, Dr Chakrabarty said. Serajul had infection in his lungs.

The doctor said Shahed visited his father on Jul 5 and 6, but no one from the family came after the Rapid Action Battalion began raids on Regent Hospital headquarters and two branches in Uttara and Mirpur. Shahed’s mobile phone was also switched off.

Universal authorities were able to reach Shahed’s wife finally after Serajul’s death. The family sent a representative to take the body.