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Published : 20 Jul 2025, 07:48 PM
Amid debate raging over why no autopsies were conducted on four men killed during violent clashes in Gopalganj last week, the district’s main public hospital has issued a formal explanation rejecting claims of negligence.
Signed by Dr Jibitesh Biswas, superintendent of the 250-bed Gopalganj General Hospital, the statement was released through the chief advisor’s press wing on Sunday.
“The claim that the hospital authorities deliberately handed over the bodies without autopsy is completely baseless and false,” the statement said.
Four people were shot dead and at least nine others injured by gunfire after alleged members of the Awami League clashed with police and Army personnel during a rally of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP) on Wednesday.
More than 50 people were injured in the clashes that plunged the town into a nearly five-hour mayhem.
The dead were identified as Dipta Saha, 30, of Udayan Road in Gopalganj town; Ramzan Kazi, 17, from Harinahat village in Kotalipara; Sohel Rana, 35, from Shanapara in Gopalganj; and Imon Talukder from Bherar Bazar in Sadar Upazila.
All four were buried or cremated on the same night without inquest or postmortem, triggering criticism from families and rights activists.
Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury later said autopsies could still be carried out by exhuming the bodies if necessary. However, no clarification was given in the case of Dipta, whose body was cremated.
Separately, Ramzan Munshi, an autorickshaw driver who was critically injured and transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Wednesday night, died at the hospital on Thursday. His body was examined after a police sub-inspector at Shahbagh conducted the inquest.
Two others, Sumon Biswas and Abbas Ali, both 30, remain in DMCH with bullet wounds.
BODIES TAKEN BY FORCE
Dr Jibitesh said the hospital was aware of allegations from the media, social media, and victims' relatives that it deliberately “avoided autopsies”.
“The reality is that after the incident, the first body arrived at the emergency unit. Once the duty doctor declared the patient dead and informed the family about the need for autopsy, they became agitated and forcibly took away the body,” he said.
He added that families of the other victims also “refused to allow” autopsies and “behaved inappropriately” with the staff, forcibly taking the bodies without permission.
“Given the continuing violence and the absence of law enforcement at the hospital, our staff felt helpless. Medical staff were busy treating the injured, and because of the situation outside, we were unable to contact police despite trying repeatedly.
“We later informed police both by phone and in writing.”
He added that Gopalganj General Hospital is always dedicated to public service and hopes to clear any misunderstanding among the public.
