Dhaka: A Dhaka Court on Monday sentenced six owners and employees of BCI (Bangladesh) Pharmaceuticals Limited to 10 years’ imprisonment each in a case for using lethal and cheap chemical ‘diethylene glycol’ in their paracetamol syrup.

The court also fined them Tk 2lakh each in the case, which was filed under the Drug (Control) Ordinance, 1982, and in default of payment of the fine they will have to undergo six months’ rigorous imprisonment.

The case was filed with the Dhaka Drug Court in 1992 following the death of many children due to drinking the toxic paracetamol.

After examining the witnesses and records, Dhaka Drug Court Judge M Atoar Rahman passed the order.

The six convicts are BCI directors Shajahan Sarker, Shamsul Haque, Nurun Nahar, its executive director ASM Baduruzza Chowdhury, production manager Md Tajul Haque and quality control manager Ayesha Khatun.

Shahjahan was present at the court when the verdict was pronounced. Five others were absconding after the filing of the cases.

Shahjahan was sent to jail after the order.

On 30 November 1992, the then drug superintendent Abul Khayer Chowdhury of Bangladesh Drug Administration filed the case with the Dhaka Drug Court against six top officials of BCI Bangladesh limited.

The investigation officer submitted a charge sheet before the court against the six accused on 2 January, 1993 while the court framed charges against them on 2 August, 1994.

Since then the trial proceeding stayed by High Court until 2011 following a petition filed by defence counsel.

Later on 20 February, 2011, the High Court gave the order to start the trial of the case.

Finally, the trial began on 7 August last year, and the court sent Khayer to jail for not complying with its orders. Khayer was released later on condition that he would appear before the court regularly to testify.

The judgment was scheduled to be delivered on 13 August in this year but Judge M Atoar Rahman deferred it until 17 August.

Many children died in 1992 after taking the toxic paracetamol.

The same Drug Court on July 22 delivered a judgment sentencing three owner-officials of Adflame Pharmaceuticals to jail for 10 years and fined Tk 2 lakh each under the Drug (Control) Ordinance, 1982 over the children’s death from toxic syrup more than two decades ago.