Six newborn babies died between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning in the post-operative room of Ad-din Medical College Hospital in Dhaka’s Moghbazar.
Following reports of the unnatural deaths, senior officials from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) rushed to the scene on Wednesday morning to launch a formal investigation into the tragedy.
According to Ramna Divisional Police Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Zahidul Islam, the deceased infants were all between one and two days old.
Police reports indicate that eleven mothers and six newborns were staying in the post-operative room overnight. Mazharul Islam, Assistant Commissioner of the DMP’s Ramna Zone, stated that several mothers reported severe discomfort and breathing difficulties around 2:00 AM. Shortly after, at approximately 4:00 AM, the room's air conditioning system shut down unexpectedly. The first infant passed away at 6:00 AM, followed by the other five in quick succession.
While unverified television and social media reports initially alleged a gas leak or an air conditioner explosion, police investigators confirmed that preliminary inspections found no physical evidence of a blast.
A specialized CID forensic team is currently analyzing the room to determine the exact cause of the oxygen deprivation or fatal conditions.
