Baby sold to pay clinic bill returned to mother in Gaibandha

At the intervention of Law Minister Anisul Huq, the Gaibandha district administration on Sunday tracked down the newborn who was sold by his parents to meet bills of a private clinic, at Sadullapur Upazila and sent him to mother Anjula Begum. After reading a news item on Friday under the title ‘Mother sells newborn to pay hospital bills’, the law minister immediately contacted the Gaibandha district administration and requested firmly that the newborn be returned to mother’s lap.
Law Ministry sources also said that Anjula Begum was given 20 kg of rice, two kg of pulses, two litres of soybean oil, a saree, a lungi and Tk 2,000 in cash by the district administration.
Besides, arrangements have been made to send Tk 16,000 from the personal fund of the law minister to the district administration of Gaibandha on Sunday, to repay the money used to pay clinic bills.
On September 17, Anjula Begum, wife of Shajahan Mia of Sholagari village in Sadar Upazila, sold her baby for Tk 16,000 to pay her medical bills.
Amena Begum went to a local hospital for delivery. Doctors there asked her to go to another hospital as she needed surgery.
On September 13, Shahjahan took his wife to Jamuna Clinic in Gaibandha where she gave birth to a son. Four days later, the clinic asked them to pay a bill of Tk 16,000.
Unable to arrange money, the couple contacted a syndicate and sold their newborn for Tk 16,000.
Faridul Haque Sohel, owner of Jamuna Clinic in Gaibandha, said that Anjula Begum was admitted to the clinic on September 15 at around 12:15 pm and she gave birth to a son through the Caesarean section at around 1 pm. The baby was their fourth issue.
After payment of the bill with great effort, Anjula was released from the clinic on the evening of September 17. – UNB