The 250-bed General Hospital in Gopalganj has refuted as “baseless and false” the claims that bodies of clash victims were deliberately handed over without autopsies.
The hospital’s clarification came through a press release issued on Sunday, as reported by the Press Wing of the Chief Adviser’s office.
The statement noted: “Hospital authorities have taken cognizance of reports in certain media outlets, social media platforms, and statements from victims’ relatives alleging that bodies from the July 16 incident in Gopalganj were released without postmortem examinations. These claims are entirely unfounded.”
According to the official version, when the first casualty was brought to the emergency department during the clashes, the attending physician declared the person dead.
While staff were preparing for standard autopsy procedures, agitated family members forcibly took the body away. Subsequently, relatives of other deceased individuals also refused autopsies, allegedly behaving “discourteously” toward hospital staff before removing the bodies.
The statement explained: “Amid the volatile situation and ongoing clashes, with no law enforcement personnel present on-site, hospital authorities felt helpless. Furthermore, doctors, nurses, ward staff, and other personnel were fully occupied treating the injured, while the unstable conditions outside prevented immediate police communication despite repeated attempts.”
However, authorities confirmed that the incidents were later reported to police both via mobile phone and in writing. The hospital expressed hope that this clarification would dispel public misconceptions about the matter.