Newborn dies as local drivers’ syndicate block out-of-town ambulance

A devastating incident in Shariatpur has sparked outrage after a newborn baby lost his life when an out-of-town ambulance was deliberately blocked by a local syndicate of ambulance drivers, preventing urgent medical transfer to Dhaka.

The heartbroken family of the infant say their child could have survived if he had been allowed to reach a specialist hospital in time. 

Instead, they were forced to watch helplessly as their newborn struggled to breathe while trapped inside an ambulance for over 40 minutes – held back not by distance or traffic, but by human obstruction.

Ruma Begum, from the Kaneshwar area in Damudya, gave birth to a baby boy via emergency caesarean section at New Metro Clinic on Thursday afternoon. From birth, the child showed signs of respiratory distress and required immediate specialist care. Doctors advised the family to transfer him to a neonatal facility in Dhaka without delay.

Desperate to save their grandson’s life, the family arranged and paid Tk 5,000 for a Dhaka-bound ambulance driven by Mosharraf Mia, who had just completed a trip and was parked outside the clinic.

But as the ambulance prepared to leave, two local drivers, identified as Sabuj Dewan and Abu Taher Dewan, rushed forward and blocked its path. 

Witnesses and police say the men belong to a local syndicate that controls ambulance services in the area and refuses to allow outside vehicles to operate.

“They grabbed the driver by the collar, snatched the keys, and refused to let us go,” said Ranu Akhter, a relative of the mother. “We begged them. We told them a child’s life was at stake. But they didn’t care.”

Mosharraf Mia, the ambulance driver, said he offered to hand over the patient to the local drivers so the transfer could continue, but they refused, only interested in enforcing their monopoly.

“I told them, ‘Take the patient yourselves if you won’t let me go,’” Mosharraf said. “But the family trusted me. I wanted to help. And still, they wouldn’t move.”

Inside the ambulance, the baby’s condition worsened. With no oxygen support and no way forward, the infant stopped breathing.

Sefali Begum, the child’s grandmother, wept as she recalled the final moments. “If they had just let us go, my grandson might still be alive,” she said. “They took away his chance to live. They took away his oxygen. I want justice for him, for all the families who suffer like this.”

The two men fled the scene shortly after the baby’s death. 

Helal Uddin, Officer-in-Charge at Palang Model Police Station, confirmed they are taking the matter seriously. “We have been informed of the incident. A formal complaint has been filed, and we will take swift action. We are also looking into the syndicate’s activities, which have long caused suffering for patients in need.”