A well-known media house, Prothom Alo, of Bangladesh, were on their high horse with no concern to the death of a 15-year-old Nayeemul Abrar Rahat. He was electrocuted at 3pm and declared dead at about 5pm during an event. But the show went on till 7pm. Tabassum Tahmina questions the criminal negligence and insensitivity of the organisers, in her weekly column, beginning today. An exclusive for Different Truths.

On 1st November, Friday afternoon, Bangladesh’s highest circulated daily newspaper, Prothom Alo’s magazine for juveniles, Kishor Alo, organised a function to celebrate their anniversary at Dhaka Residential Model College premises. Nayeemul Abrar Rahat, a 15-year-old non -resident student was electrocuted around 3 pm. The function was still going on. Star singers singing and thousands of students listening and celebrating without any clue.

Kishor Alo’s volunteer team, organisers and doctors, rather than taking him to nearby Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital took him to Mohakhali’s Universal Medical College Hospital at 4.15 pm. Why? Because, this hospital was a stakeholder in the event

Kishor Alo’s volunteer team took him to the medical aid camp at the college premises for the event. Two FCPS doctors there advised the organisers to take Nayeemul immediately to the hospital.  Kishor Alo’s volunteer team, organisers and doctors, rather than taking him to nearby Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital (on the opposite side of the road past the Dhaka Residential Model College) took him to Mohakhali’s Universal Medical College Hospital at 4.15 pm. Why? Because, this hospital was a stakeholder in the event and the two doctors present there were from that hospital.

Though Kishor Alo’s editor denied and stated that Universal Medical College was not the sponsor of the event rather it provided medical support for free to the youths attending the function. The doctors pronounced him dead at 4.51 pm in Universal Medical College Hospital.

Even after his death, the organisers decided to conceal the news of death and continued the function till 7pm. After all, no one wants to anger the sponsors and event partners.

Even after his death, the organisers decided to conceal the news of death and continued the function till 7pm. After all, no one wants to anger the sponsors and event partners. Nayeemul was buried that night without an autopsy.

According to Nayeemul’s father’s statement he was not informed about the incident by the authority. He came to know about his son’s death from his son’s friends and classmates. He was pressured into accepting that the incident as a tragic accident. His father filed a case of unnatural death in the Mohammdpur police station on November 2nd. The police recorded it as an unnatural death case without conducting an autopsy.

Kishor Alo’s editor, a renowned columnist, Anisul Hoque, visited the hospital and managed to find some time to express his condolences in the Facebook status at 1 am that night. On 5th November, Prothom Alo expressed condolences and grief in obituary in their newspaper.

Kishor Alo’s editor, a renowned columnist, Anisul Hoque, visited the hospital and managed to find some time to express his condolences in the Facebook status at 1 am that night. On 5th November, Prothom Alo expressed condolences and grief in obituary in their newspaper. In the obituary they stated that have cancelled their 21st anniversary celebration program which was scheduled to take place at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on 8th November.

We appreciate it.

But at the same time, they expressed their profound regrets to the invited guests of the cancelled program in the obituary section for Nayeemul. After all, Prothom Alo, is owned by one of the biggest corporate houses.

Prothom Alo had invited big sponsors, the advertisers, fellow corporate houses, medias, politicians, ministers, celebrities, bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and the elite of the society. As they usually do every year. Their regrets to the invited guests appeared in the obituary for Nayeemul Abrar Rahat. This is sad.

On 6th November, Nayeemul’s father filed a case in Dhaka additional metropolitan magistrate court against Motiur Rahman, editor and publisher of Daily Prothom Alo and the organisers.

On 6th November, Nayeemul’s father filed a case in Dhaka additional metropolitan magistrate court against Motiur Rahman, editor and publisher of Daily Prothom Alo and the organisers. The court had ordered to exhume the body of Nayeemul from the grave and conduct autopsy to prove the case alongside the earlier case of unnatural case of unnatural death and ordered the police to submit prove report by December 1st.

Nayeemul ‘s father in his plea accused the death of his son was caused by the negligence of the organisers. The principal of the college accused Prothom Alo, organisers, volunteers, the security team. But why he did not inform the news of Nayeemul’s death to his father?

Anisul Hoque of Kishor Alo wrote an article on 6th November where he tried to explain his side of the story, which is quite contradictory to his previous Facebook status.

Anisul Hoque of Kishor Alo wrote an article on 6th November where he tried to explain his side of the story, which is quite contradictory to his previous Facebook status. He also stated that he had become speechless by the false rumors, allegations and accusations from all the corners. APF, Bureau Chief, Bangladesh has come forward to support Prothom Alo.

In his words, he “doesn’t understand the attack on Prothom Alo. Some people are baying for blood”.

We now see the inhumanity and insensitive nature of Prothom Alo. We need to ask our conscience. This is a viral issue in social media

No, we are not. I read Prothom Alo. I appreciate their contribution. We are the commoners. We now see the inhumanity and insensitive nature of Prothom Alo. We need to ask our conscience. This is a viral issue in social media but not as much viral as popular actress’s intimate photos being leaked. TV channels are not raking up the issue in their talk shows. Possibly this incident won’t increase their TRP.

We need to ask ourselves who is responsible? We commoners don’t want to be part of the blame game. Negligence? Mismanagement? Or all of us? We have become selfish, self-centered and self-obsessed.

A 15-year-old boy died due to their criminal negligence but the organisers decided that the show must go on.

The organisers that day decided to take Nayeemul not to nearby hospital but to a hospital further away as it was one of their stakeholders. Furthermore, they decided to continue the function till 7 pm, while Nayeemul was declared dead at 4.51 pm, two hours before. What is wrong with us? A 15-year-old boy died due to their criminal negligence but the organisers decided that the show must go on.

It’s clear that they lacked humanity and were oblivious of the moral implications when this tragedy happened. We don’t know the details of the members of the organisers present then. We know that there were volunteers for Kishor Alo events.

What about the organisers? For them a life is less worthy than the sponsors and event partners’ interest. They allowed thousands of teenagers to celebrate, to dance, to sing, to enjoy, while a boy of 15 years was electrocuted and then pronounced dead. Is this the lesson, we trying to teach our future generation?

Sadly, Prothom Alo didn’t apologise for negligence or mismanagement. Just because it is owned by a powerful corporate house.

Sadly, Prothom Alo didn’t apologise for negligence or mismanagement. Just because it is owned by a powerful corporate house.  Are they above the law?

Let’s forget the law. Where was their sense of humanity? It took them four days to publish an obituary along with the regrets to the invited guests of the cancelled program. Maybe, it is high time for them to understand that they exist because of the commoners; their majority of readers. If commoners stop buying Prothom Alo, their beloved sponsors will leave them.

Prothom Alo claims to be the beacon of all that is fair and honest. They need to practice what they preach. They need to empathise. Honestly.

It is their moral duty to take responsibility and apologise publicly. Prothom Alo claims to be the beacon of all that is fair and honest. They need to practice what they preach. They need to empathise. Honestly. They just can’t get away with this tragic death due to negligence and utter lack of humanity.

Source : https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/news/204473/Nayeemul-Abrar%E2%80%99s-father-sues-Prothom-Alo-editor

Photo sourced by the author.