Fear of hospital bill forces couple to leave newborn behind - 16 days later, an emotional reunion

Tears streamed down the young mother's face as she clutched her baby to her chest for the first time in more than two weeks. The small private hospital room in Chattogram's OR Nizam Road area fell silent except for the muffled sobs — a mix of relief, guilt, and joy.

Just moments earlier, police officers had walked in with the couple who had left their newborn daughter behind at Asian Hospital 16 days ago.

The reason was heartbreaking: the parents, unable to afford the spiralling hospital bill, had fled in silence.

A birth shadowed by hardship

The story began on July 18, when a CNG-run autorickshaw driver from Rangunia rushed his pregnant wife to the Asian Hospital. That night, she delivered a baby girl via caesarean section.

The infant, however, was born with health complications and was immediately moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

After four days, on July 22, the mother was discharged. By then, the hospital bill stood at Tk 46,000, of which the couple managed to pay Tk 40,000. But their baby remained in the NICU for further treatment.

With no savings left and no way to meet the mounting expenses, the couple made a painful decision — to leave the hospital without their child.

Days without a mother

Hospital Director Riduanul Haque said the baby eventually recovered and was ready for discharge. But repeated attempts to contact her parents failed.

"With no one to breastfeed her, we relied on the help of other mothers to feed the baby," Haque told reporters.

On August 1, the hospital filed a written complaint with Chattogram's Chawkbazar Police Station. Officers began searching both in Rouzan and Rangunia, where the couple had relatives.

The bill that broke them

Chawkbazar police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zahidul Kabir said police finally located the family and arranged transport to bring them back to Chattogram.

By then, the hospital bill for the 19-day stay had reached Tk3.03 lakh — a sum the family could not even imagine paying.

"They were afraid to return, thinking they would be forced to pay the full amount. They are too poor to pay the bill," OC Kabir explained.

"One well-wisher later contributed Tk15,000, and the hospital management waived the rest of the bill. We assured the hospital authority that if they want the full bill, we would arrange it through public funding," he said.

"It was a heartwrenching scenario for all. We are very happy that we were able to reunite the family," the OC added.

'I cried every day'

At the emotional reunion on Wednesday afternoon, the baby's mother — accompanied by her parents — broke down in tears as she took her daughter in her arms.

"I cried every day," she said softly. "It tore my heart to leave her here, but I had no money to come back."

The father did not attend the reunion, but speaking to reporters by phone, he said: "We spent Tk 40,000 on the surgery. After that, we had nothing left. I couldn't face the hospital."

A lesson in compassion

The hospital's Managing Director Salauddin Ali said that for poor patients, bills are reduced as much as possible.

"If they had told us earlier, we would have helped," he said. "No family should have to abandon their child over money."

For this family, the ordeal ended in relief, but it served as a stark reminder of the crushing weight of healthcare costs for low-income households — and how compassion can sometimes be the only bridge between despair and hope.