Infant dies from lack of oxygen at Baghaichhari health complex, exposing grave healthcare crisis in CHT

Omar Faruq Sumon

A one-month-old infant, Rimli Chakma, tragically died on Friday morning at the Baghaichhari Upazila Health Complex — the largest sub-district in Bangladesh — due to an acute shortage of medical oxygen, laying bare the catastrophic state of healthcare in this remote region.

According to her grieving father, Riton Chakma, the hospital failed to provide immediate treatment as “not a single oxygen cylinder was available” when his daughter was gasping for breath. In a desperate, last-minute attempt, medical staff tried to resuscitate the infant using CPR, but their efforts were futile.

“We pleaded for help, but there was no oxygen, no equipment — just negligence,” said a devastated Riton Chakma. “My child died in front of our eyes while the system stood paralyzed.”

The attending physician, Dr. Debashish, refused to comment on the incident.

Confirming the death, Baghaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shirin Akhter acknowledged the systemic failures that led to the tragedy. “This facility suffers from a chronic dearth of oxygen, qualified doctors, and functional ambulances.

Out of 16 sanctioned physician posts, only four are currently filled — and even they are frequently absent,” she said.

Astonishingly, the lone ambulance assigned to the hospital has been out of service for months.

Anupam Chakma, the hospital’s ambulance driver, painted a grim picture: “The ambulance hasn’t been running because its tires and battery are damaged. We can’t replace them without funds, and the officer in charge isn’t here. If I had the money myself, I would’ve bought them. It hurts deeply to see patients suffer like this.”

Repeated appeals to higher authorities have gone unanswered. “Despite notifying the top officials numerous times, we have received no tangible response,” UNO Akhter lamented.

Speaking to The Chittagong Hill Tracts News, Rangamati Civil Surgeon Dr. Nuyen Khisa offered a scathing critique of the prevailing dysfunction.

“A medical officer has been posted to Baghaichhari, but he hasn’t joined yet. The post for the Executive Officer (EOHFPO) remains vacant despite multiple requests. Many of these officials seem immune to accountability — cushioned by years of service, political connections, and financial comfort,” Dr. Khisa said.

“They are complacent because they know their jobs are secure, regardless of their absence or negligence. This apathy is unconscionable.”

Meanwhile, the hospital infrastructure is in dire condition. Locals report the building is so fragile that it poses a hazard to both patients and staff. “This facility has outlived its structural viability,” said one local union representative.

“No amount of patchwork repairs can salvage it. We demand the immediate construction of a new hospital and radical improvement of healthcare services in Baghaichhari.”

This tragic death is not merely a case of medical negligence — it is a damning indictment of the state’s failure to ensure the most basic right: the right to life. As healthcare collapses in one of the most vulnerable parts of the country, the silence of those in power becomes ever more deafening.