Death of Senior SBMCH Doctor: Family files murder case

A murder case was lodged yesterday with Barishal city's Kotwali Police Station, after police recovered the body of Dr Md Al Azad Sajol, a senior consultant at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH), from the bottom of an elevator shaft at Mamata Specialised Hospital (MSH).

Dr Shahariar Badhon Utchash, Dr Azad's brother, lodged the case without accusing anyone, said Abdur Rahman Mukur, officer-in-charge (investigation) of the police station and investigation officer of the case.

"We have detained nine MSH staffers for interrogation, and we are scrutinising all possible causes of his death," the OC said.

Md Rasel, assistant commissioner (Kotwali) of Barishal Metropolitan Police (BMP), said different branches of law enforcement agencies -- including Rapid Action Battalion, Police Bureau of Investigation and Criminal Investigation Department -- are involved in investigation. Officials are consolidating and scrutinising information collected by them with top priority.

Mokter Hossain, deputy commissioner of BMP, said investigation is in primary stage and investigators are looking into all details.

Earlier, Dr Zahirul Islam Manik, director of MSH and head of surgery at SBMCH, said Dr Azad went missing since Monday evening, and they informed police on Tuesday morning. Officers recovered Dr Azad's body around 1:30pm on that day.

Dr Azad was a senior consultant at SBMCH's burn and plastic surgery unit and was working part-time at MSH, residing in a room on the hospital's sixth floor.

He was buried at Dhaka's Keraniganj, where he used to live with his wife and two children, said Shibuddin Khokon, the deceased doctor's cousin.

"He was famous for his kind-hearted demeanour, and at least 20 families regularly received grants for him," he said.