Adulterated drugs: 3 officials of medicine co get 10yrs RI

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced three officials of a pharmaceutical company to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) each in a case filed in connection with the deaths of 76 children by taking adulterated drugs 22 years ago. The court also fined the three convicts Tk 0.2 million each. The convicts were identified as Helena Pasha, director of pharmaceutical company ‘Adflame’, its manager Mizanur Rahman and production officer Nrigendranath Bala. Dhaka Divisional Special Judge Abdur Rashid passed the order in the presence of two accused – Helena Pasha and Mizanur Rahman – while another accused Nrigendranath Bala is absconding. The court, however, acquitted two other fugitive accused – M Noman, quality control officer of ‘Adflame’, and Afzar Pasha, son of Helena Pasha. Tests detected toxic chemical diethylene glycol in ‘Flammadol’, paracetamol syrup, produced by the medicine company, which caused deaths of 76 children, according to a news agency.