Death while rescuing: HC issues rule on compensation to rescuer Atif

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday barred animal rescue organisations from carrying out rescue operations without training.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why Atif Islam, a volunteer of 'Robin Hood -The Animal Rescue Society' who died after being electrocuted while rescuing a bird, should not be given adequate compensation.
The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Atif's mother Tanjina Rahman Tumpa.

Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akand Masum stood for the writ petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Selim Azad represented the state.

Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akand Masum confirmed the order.

Tashfian Atif, a member of 'Robin Hood- the Animal Rescue Society' who was electrocuted while rescuing a parrot stuck in an electric wire at Hasnabad Insaf Bazar in Dhaka's South Keraniganj on December 21 last year, died on December 22 while undergoing treatment.

Atif was first taken to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. From there, he was admitted to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College where he died..

After the incident, Afzal Khan, head of Robin Hood- the Animal Rescue Society, told the media that they work to rescue animals if they fall in danger.

They got information on mobile phone that a parrot was trapped on an electric pole in Hasnabad area on December 21.

Then a team of 5-6 people went to the spot to rescue the bird and rescuers climbed onto the roof of a three-storey building, he said.

Atif went to rescue the bird with a stick in his hand and when he hit an electric cable with the stick he and two others got electrocuted.

Atif's father Nazmul Hossain said Atif was a second-year student of Dhanmondi Ideal College and he was involved in the work for his love for animals. Then Atif's mother filed a writ petition with the High Court.

SA