Health authorities in Bangladesh are investigating the deaths of six newborns who died within hours of each other at Ad-Din Hospital, a private facility in Dhaka. The infants, aged between one and three days, were all in the hospital’s post-delivery ward when the fatalities occurred.

Nahida Yasmin, a director at Ad-Din Hospital, confirmed that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the deaths. She indicated that the hospital is still gathering information and urged patience as the inquiry proceeds.

Officials from the government health department cited problems with the ward’s air conditioning as a possible factor. Prabhat Chandra Biswas, head of the department, noted that the air conditioning unit was not working early yesterday, during a period when daytime temperatures in Dhaka reached approximately 32 degrees Celsius. He described the ward environment as stifling, with no alternative ventilation available once the air conditioner stopped functioning.

According to hospital officials, one baby initially became ill and was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) but was returned to the ward within an hour. Shortly after dawn, five other newborns began showing signs of distress. Yasmin said all six infants were placed on ventilators, but their conditions worsened, and none could be saved.

Health department spokesman Zahid Rajhan stated that there was no early evidence suggesting mistreatment contributed to the deaths. He added that the Criminal Investigation Department is examining whether any technical failures in electrical equipment, including the air conditioner, played a role.

Family members at the hospital described the sudden and tragic nature of the incident. Janu, a 55-year-old woman whose granddaughter was among the deceased, recounted that the infant had been healthy until the previous night but began turning blue before being taken to the ICU. She said they later received the child’s body and showed visible distress at the hospital’s entrance.

Other relatives of patients expressed anxiety and uncertainty about continuing care at the facility. Mohammed Harun, whose grandson has been in the ICU in critical condition for 19 days, said he was unsure whether to remain at Ad-Din Hospital or seek treatment elsewhere.

The investigation remains ongoing as health officials work to clarify the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the six newborns.