Gauze left in abdomen; Tk 55k compromise

The deceased, Bithi Akhtar, was the wife of Rakibul Islam from Jyotinbordipara village in Goalando Upazila, Rajbari. She was a student at a nursing college in Faridpur and served as a trainee at FMMC Hospital.

According to family sources, Bithi gave birth to a baby boy via C-section on May 6, performed by Dr Tamanna Akhtar and intern physician Arabindu at FMMC Hospital. Following the procedure, Bithi experienced persistent abdominal complications. Despite raising concerns, the attending physician initially dismissed the symptoms as minor and discharged her home.

Nearly one and a half months later, ultrasonograms conducted at two private clinics revealed the presence of a retained surgical sponge inside her abdomen. Bithi was re-admitted to FMMC Hospital on July 12, where a corrective surgery was performed on July 15 by Associate Professors Dr Fazlul Huq Shobhon and Dr Sanjoy Saha to remove the decaying gauze.

However, prolonged exposure to the foreign object had already caused severe intestinal infection and necrosis.

Following the second surgery, a financial compromise was brokered between the hospital authorities and Bithi's family on the night of July 15. A document executed on a Tk 100 non-judicial stamp, which recently surfaced on social media, shows that Bithi's husband accepted Tk 55,000 as financial assistance in exchange for waiving all rights to seek future legal recourse or financial compensation against the hospital.

Bithi was discharged on July 22, but her condition worsened as the abdominal infection spread, requiring further hospitalization from September 20 to October 4. As her state turned critical, she was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on October 4, where she succumbed to her injuries at 8:30 AM on October 8.

Confirming the settlement document, her husband Rakibul Islam stated that he agreed to the terms under severe financial distress and out of concern for his wife's future career, as she was expected to complete her internship at FMMC Hospital. He expressed grief over the outcome and stated his intent to pursue legal action against the negligent medical team despite the agreement.

FMMC Hospital Deputy Director and Acting Director Dr Manas Krishna Kundu stated he was unaware of the financial settlement, though he acknowledged the viral document circulating online.

He confirmed that a six-member investigation committee, headed by Surgery Department Chief Dr Swapan Kumar Biswas, has been formed to look into allegations of medical negligence, with a mandate to submit a report within ten days.