A probe report has been submitted to the Attorney General’s office citing it finds no wrong with Md Abdus Sabur Mondal, a joint secretary at the Prime Minister's Office working on the Access to Information (a2i) project, in connection with the death of Titas Ghosh.
On July 25, Titas, a sixth grader of Kalia Government Pilot High School in Narail, died in an ambulance while heading towards Dhaka on a ferry that was halted for hours even after the scheduled time at Kathalbari Ferry Terminal in Madaripur due to the late arrival of the joint secretary.
The report blamed three officials of the ferry terminal for the death of Titas. They are -- Salam Hossain, the terminal manager, Khokon Mia, and Firoz Alam.
The probe committee headed by Md Rezaul Hasan, additional secretary of the Cabinet Division, submitted a report to the Attorney General’s office on Thursday.
Deputy Attorney General Barrister ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar confirmed the matter and said that the report would be submitted to the High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader after the High Court vacation.
According to the report, the three individuals could not avoid responsibility in the incident.
The probe committee, however, did not blame Abdus Sabur Mondal as he was unaware of the incident that a critical patient was waiting at the ferry pontoon.
The report has given seven recommendations including - ferries not to delay for any individual, and giving priority to ambulances.
On July 31, the High Court issued a rule asking why compensation would not be paid to the family of Titas Ghosh.
The court also said it would deliver its directives after receiving the probe report over the incident.
Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Mohammad Zahir Uddin filed the petition on July 30 seeking compensation for the victim's family.
The petition also requested the court to direct the government to take steps so that the ferries prioritize ambulances carrying critical patients, order the government to conduct an inquiry into the incident concerning Titas' death, and to take appropriate legal action against people responsible for it.
The secretaries to the Shipping Ministry, Road Transport and Highway Division, the inspector general of police, and the BIWTC chairman were made respondents to the writ, among others.
The court also directed the public administration secretary for appointing an additional secretary to conduct an enquiry into the incident and submit an enquiry report before the court in three weeks.
