cidents occurred. Sources said prosecution witnesses are not coming to the court despite the fact that the court issued arrest warrants against them. Meanwhile, the prosecution lawyer is not helpful to quickly dispose of the cases for unknown reasons. So, the trial has long been pending with the court. BCI (BANGLADESH) LTD As per case statement, the then drug superintendent Abul Khayer Chowdhury filed the case with Dhaka drug court against six top officials of BCI (Bangladesh) Ltd on November 30, 1992, for manufacturing spurious drug that killed so many children in the early 1990s. The accused are three BCI directors Shajahan Sarker, Shamsul Haque and Nurun Nahar, executive director ASM Baduruzza Chowdhury, production manager M Tajul Haque and quality control manager Ayesha Khatun. The investigation officer submitted a charge sheet against the accused on January 2, 1993, while the court framed charges against them on August 2, 1994. Since then, the trial procedure was stayed by the High Court until 2011 following a petition filed by a defence lawyer. Later on February 20, 2011, the HC ordered to start trial in the case. Court source said trial proceedings deferred for 20 scheduled dates due to non-appearance of witnesses in the case. Shajahan is on bail but the rest are on the run. Drug court officer Rafiqul Islam said witnesses are not coming to the court, although arrest warrants were issued against them. “So, the trial is delayed.” RID PHARMA In 2009, at least 28 children died across the country by taking toxic paracetamol syrup produced by Rid Pharmaceutical Company. The children died between June and August of renal failure due to the paracetamol syrup intake. Following massive deaths, the drug administration sealed off Rid’s factory on July 22, 2009. The government also formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident. On July 29, the committee placed its report that found presence of poisonous diethylene glycol in Rid’s paracetamol syrup. Rid Pharma used diethylene glycol, meant for tannery and rubber industries, as a substitute for propylene glycol because diethylene glycol costs Tk 200 per litre while propylene glycol Tk 1,100. Later, the government banned two drugs of Rid Pharma—Ridaplex (vitamin B-complex syrup) and Temset (paracetamol suspension)—for their low standards. According to case details, on July 21, 2009, Shafiqul Islam, drug superintendent of Drug Administration filed the case with Dhaka drug court, accusing five officials of the company. The accused were Rid Pharma managing director Mizanur Rahman, directors Sheuli Rahman, also Mizan’s wife, and Abdul Gani and pharmacists Mahbubul Islam and Enamul Haque. Of them, Mizanur and Sheuli are on bail while the rest are on the run. On March 9, 2011, the court framed charges against the accused. The investigation officer mentioned four people’s names as witnesses in the case. Two out of four witnesses gave depositions. They are Md Shafiqul Islam, plaintiff of the case, and Dr AR Khan, a professor of Dhaka Shishu Hospital. The court fixed August 21 the same year for recording next depositions in the case. Trial proceedings were deferred for several dates due to non-appearance of witnesses on time. Public prosecutor Shaheen Ahmed Khan said, “Although the trial process is going on slowly, we are hopeful about completion of the trial within a short time.” Earlier on Tuesday, Dhaka Drug Court sentenced Adflame Pharmaceuticals director Dr Helena Pasha, manager Mizanur Rahman and quality control officer Nigendra Nath Bala to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for manufacturing spurious drug that killed many children in the early 1990s. Judge Abdur Rashid in his order said the convicts had committed crimes against society and humanity. So, it is better to award them 10 years’ imprisonment, the maximum punishment under Drug (control) Ordinance 1982.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Trial of BCI, Rid pharmas still remains elusive:Daily Sun
cidents occurred. Sources said prosecution witnesses are not coming to the court despite the fact that the court issued arrest warrants against them. Meanwhile, the prosecution lawyer is not helpful to quickly dispose of the cases for unknown reasons. So, the trial has long been pending with the court. BCI (BANGLADESH) LTD As per case statement, the then drug superintendent Abul Khayer Chowdhury filed the case with Dhaka drug court against six top officials of BCI (Bangladesh) Ltd on November 30, 1992, for manufacturing spurious drug that killed so many children in the early 1990s. The accused are three BCI directors Shajahan Sarker, Shamsul Haque and Nurun Nahar, executive director ASM Baduruzza Chowdhury, production manager M Tajul Haque and quality control manager Ayesha Khatun. The investigation officer submitted a charge sheet against the accused on January 2, 1993, while the court framed charges against them on August 2, 1994. Since then, the trial procedure was stayed by the High Court until 2011 following a petition filed by a defence lawyer. Later on February 20, 2011, the HC ordered to start trial in the case. Court source said trial proceedings deferred for 20 scheduled dates due to non-appearance of witnesses in the case. Shajahan is on bail but the rest are on the run. Drug court officer Rafiqul Islam said witnesses are not coming to the court, although arrest warrants were issued against them. “So, the trial is delayed.” RID PHARMA In 2009, at least 28 children died across the country by taking toxic paracetamol syrup produced by Rid Pharmaceutical Company. The children died between June and August of renal failure due to the paracetamol syrup intake. Following massive deaths, the drug administration sealed off Rid’s factory on July 22, 2009. The government also formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident. On July 29, the committee placed its report that found presence of poisonous diethylene glycol in Rid’s paracetamol syrup. Rid Pharma used diethylene glycol, meant for tannery and rubber industries, as a substitute for propylene glycol because diethylene glycol costs Tk 200 per litre while propylene glycol Tk 1,100. Later, the government banned two drugs of Rid Pharma—Ridaplex (vitamin B-complex syrup) and Temset (paracetamol suspension)—for their low standards. According to case details, on July 21, 2009, Shafiqul Islam, drug superintendent of Drug Administration filed the case with Dhaka drug court, accusing five officials of the company. The accused were Rid Pharma managing director Mizanur Rahman, directors Sheuli Rahman, also Mizan’s wife, and Abdul Gani and pharmacists Mahbubul Islam and Enamul Haque. Of them, Mizanur and Sheuli are on bail while the rest are on the run. On March 9, 2011, the court framed charges against the accused. The investigation officer mentioned four people’s names as witnesses in the case. Two out of four witnesses gave depositions. They are Md Shafiqul Islam, plaintiff of the case, and Dr AR Khan, a professor of Dhaka Shishu Hospital. The court fixed August 21 the same year for recording next depositions in the case. Trial proceedings were deferred for several dates due to non-appearance of witnesses on time. Public prosecutor Shaheen Ahmed Khan said, “Although the trial process is going on slowly, we are hopeful about completion of the trial within a short time.” Earlier on Tuesday, Dhaka Drug Court sentenced Adflame Pharmaceuticals director Dr Helena Pasha, manager Mizanur Rahman and quality control officer Nigendra Nath Bala to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for manufacturing spurious drug that killed many children in the early 1990s. Judge Abdur Rashid in his order said the convicts had committed crimes against society and humanity. So, it is better to award them 10 years’ imprisonment, the maximum punishment under Drug (control) Ordinance 1982.
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