Woman VDP Member Dies After Falling Ill on Puja Pavilion Duty; Probe Into Treatment Ordered

Mossa. Parveen Begum, 45, a member of the Village Defence Party (VDP), has died in hospital after falling ill while on duty at a puja pavilion in Sadullapur, Gaibandha. Although she was admitted to hospital with diarrhoea, she is reported to have died of cardiac arrest.

District Ansar and VDP office Commandant Abu Solayman (BVMS) confirmed the matter on Sunday night. She had died earlier that morning while undergoing treatment at the Sadullapur Upazila Health Complex.

Parveen Begum was the daughter of Mafizul Haque of Kishamat Barobari village in Damodorpur Union of the upazila. She was a trained VDP member and was serving as a VDP member during Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

According to the relevant sources, Parveen Begum was on duty at the Kishamat Barobari Sarbojanin Durga Temple for the puja. On Saturday, she felt unwell while on duty, informed the platoon commander there, and returned home.

After returning home, she developed continuous diarrhoea and vomiting. As her condition deteriorated severely, relatives admitted her to the Sadullapur Upazila Health Complex in the afternoon. She died there on Sunday morning while undergoing treatment.

Citing her death certificate, the Ansar and VDP department said Parveen Begum had been admitted with diarrhoea but died of a heart attack. However, the organisation has informed the district health department to examine whether there was any deficiency in her treatment.

Gaibandha Ansar and VDP district Commandant Abu Solayman said Parveen Begum was not an Ansar member; she was a member of the Village Defence Party, that is, the VDP.

Quoting the family, he said family members had admitted her to hospital with diarrhoea, but the matter was not reported to them. The death certificate issued by the doctor states that she died of a heart attack.

The official said the district Civil Surgeon has been informed about whether the VDP member received proper treatment at the hospital or whether there was any lapse in treatment. The Civil Surgeon has said he will form a committee and look into the matters.

He also confirmed that the force has given Tk 50,000 to the family of the deceased Parveen.

Notably, Durga Puja is being celebrated this year at 632 pavilions and temples in the district. A total of 4,002 male and female Ansar and VDP members are on duty at these festival venues, with two female Ansar and VDP members working at each of the 632 pavilions and temples.

The death of a member who was on day-and-night duty for festival security has cast a shadow of grief among colleagues and local people. Only the investigation committee's report will reveal whether there was any medical negligence behind her death.