Release dead bodies despite bills due: HC

The High Court (HC) directed hospitals and clinics on Monday to release the dead-bodies of poor people even if they fail to pay the due bills, report agencies.

The HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan issued the directive following a writ petition filed by Advocate Manzill Murshid.

The court also asked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to form a fund to pay the medical expenses of such patients.

On June 8 of 2012, Mohammadpur City Hospital in Dhaka did not hand over the body of a child to its parents, as they could not pay the total bill of Tk 26,000.

Rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed a petition with the court after a national daily published a report on the incident. The decision on Monday settled the petition.