The High Court on Wednesday directed the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board鈥檚 chairman and the Satkhira Palli Bidyut Samity manager to pay Tk聽10 lakh within a month to father of 10-year-old Raqibuzzaman as treatment costs after the child lost his right hand and leg due to electrocution in May 2021.
The bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi issued the interim order while hearing an application filed by Raqibuzzaman鈥檚 father, Abdur Razzak, seeking payment until the resolution of a writ petition he filed in 2021 demanding Tk聽100 crore in compensation.
The petition stated that on March 21, 2021, Satkhira Palli Bidyut Samity illegally installed an uncovered power line over the top of Razzak鈥檚 two-story house at Protabnagar at Patkelghata in Satkhira despite his written objections.
On May 9, 2021, Raqibuzzaman came into contact with the exposed cable, resulting in severe burns that led to the amputation of his right arm at the shoulder and his right leg below the knee.
The child underwent critical surgeries at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka on May 12, 2021.
Following the incident, Razzak filed a writ petition alleging negligence by the authorities and seeking compensation for his son.
The High Court on November 9, 2021 issued a rule, asking government officials to explain why they should not be ordered to compensate Raqibuzzaman with Tk聽100 crore.
Respondents to the rule include the energy and mineral resources secretary, BREB chairman, Bangladesh Palli Bidyut Samity general manager, Satkhira Palli Bidyut Samity zonal manager, project director, Satkhira deputy commissioner and Satkhira chief electricity inspector.
They were directed to respond within four weeks.
Lawyers Mohammad Tariq-Ul Islam and Farid Hasna Mehedi, representing Raqibuzzaman鈥檚 father, argued that the exposed power line was a direct result of negligence by Satkhira Palli Bidyut Samity that violated safety protocols and caused irreversible damage to the child鈥檚 life.
Deputy attorney general Mahfuz Bin Yunus represented the state during the hearing.
