Bangladeshi sound engineer and musician AK Ratul, bassist of alternative rock band ‘Owned’ and son of late film legend AK Jashim Uddin, has tragically passed away at the age of 34 due to a sudden cardiac arrest, shortly after collapsing during a workout session at a local gym in Dhaka.
The incident occurred at around 3:35 PM when Ratul reportedly felt dizzy after finishing his exercise at Cherry Drops Gym in Uttara. Witnesses say he momentarily lost consciousness but quickly regained his composure after being given sugar, attributing the dizziness to sleep deprivation and being on a sugar-restricted diet.
One of his peers, Rafid Mahadi, reveals details of his cardiac arrest and the unfortunate series of events that followed afterwards in a Facebook post.
The post states that Ratul was smiling, joking, talking and reassuring others in the gym that he was okay, only complaining of a mild headache.
A man who claimed to be a doctor used a mobile flashlight to examine Ratul’s eyes, then casually declared that everything seemed fine. However, just minutes later, Ratul began to convulse again.
Realising the gravity of the situation, his friends rushed him to Crescent Hospital by rickshaw. He was still breathing then. His head was on Mahadi’s shoulder and he kept encouraging Ratul to hang on. But suddenly, he stopped breathing.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the group faced a deeply frustrating experience. According to the Facebook post, medical staff were quick to declare Ratul dead after only minimal checks.
The post reads: “We reached Crescent Hospital within 3-4 mins, only to be met with a series of unfortunate events. The staff quickly declared him dead without trying enough & proper CPR attempts. They just checked his pulse & they did a so-called ECG. No ventilators, no proper equipment. Despite our pleas, they refused to take him to the ICU or give him further treatment. Just minutes passed, but they were sure there was nothing they could do.”
The group then shifted Ratul to Lubana Hospital in a desperate attempt to seek further help, but doctors there confirmed that he had passed away well before arrival.
The heartbreaking death has sent shockwaves through the rock music community. Friends, fans and family are mourning the untimely loss of a promising young artist. It has also sparked discussions about emergency preparedness and accountability in private hospitals.
Mahadi urged the public to remain vigilant and proactive when facing sudden medical symptoms, even if they appear minor.
“Boycott hospitals like Crescent and others that don’t have the proper management to handle emergencies. There are many private hospitals that fail to meet the basic standards of care, and we need to stand together to make sure they are held accountable. We need to boycott these hospitals before it’s too late, for our own safety and the safety of our loved ones,” he wrote on Facebook.
AK Ratul was widely admired for his musical talent and charismatic presence. His death marks not just the loss of a gifted artist but a wake-up call for medical transparency and better emergency services in Bangladesh.