Sylhet: Thirty-two people, including 10 children, died at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital (SOMCH) in 24 hours till Tuesday morning allegedly due to ‘wrong treatment and negligence’.

The identities of the deceased could not yet be known.

Among the 32 patients, five were newborn babies, five children and the rest 22 were men and women of different ages, according to sources at the hospital.

The 32 people died from 8:00pm on Monday to 8:00am today. Three of them were newborns who died due to birth complexities, while three of pneumonia, four of diarrhea-related diseases and 22 others for various reasons, triggering panic among the patients and their relatives at the hospital.

Families of the deceased alleged that the deaths were because of negligence and wrong treatment of the doctors.

Confirming the deaths, assistant director of the hospital Dr Abdus Salam said usually the number of the deaths at the hospital is 8-10 a day but such a number of deaths at the hospital in 24 hours is abnormal and this was the highest ever death toll in 24 hours at the hospital since its establishment.

Director of the hospital Brigadier General Abdus Sabur Mia said a four-member probe committee, headed by Ismail Ali Patwari, head of Medicine Department of the hospital, has been formed to investigate the deaths. The committee was asked to submit its report within the next seven working days.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has decided to form a three-member probe committee, headed by a joint secretary, to investigate the matter.

The committee will submit its report within the next seven days.