Eyebrows were raised regarding the security of inpatients when, last week one Anisur Rahman, a patient of ward-30, died when miscreants forcefully removed him from the hospital and took off his oxygen mask.

Lack of security has made the hospital a virtual death trap for patients. "We come here to have our lives saved but the hospital seems to have turned into a haven for killers," said Abdul Awal, a patient with a head injury. " The authorities seem indifferent about the issue," he added.

Dr. Mainul Haque Sarker who is in charge of neuro-surgery unit-2 admitted that this was the outcome of the lack of security within the hospital premises. Dr Sarker also added that unless security is tightened chances of repetition of such occurrences could be likely.

DMCH has no time restriction for visitors and the hospital is open for all round the clock.

"No one stops the continuous flow of visitors and this creates chaos within the hospital," said a DMCH associate professor asking not to be named.

He added that large crowds take away their concentration. "Patients need peace and quiet, which cannot be understood by the hospital authorities.

Only the two or three security officials available check the visitors coming in at the four entry points, sources said.

"There is no one at the gate. I have hardly seen a security officer in the last seven days," said Kajal Khondoker, a visitor, when asked how he managed to enter the hospital at 9:30 pm getting past the security men at the gate.

According to DMCH rules one attendant can stay with a patient, but some patients said two to three attendants are found catering to a single patient round the clock.

"If the authorities cannot ensue patients' security, it is imperative for us to stay on to guard these patients," said Anwara Zaman, an attendant.

"Two to four attendants are seen taking care of one patient at night," said a nurse, adding that drug addicts on the pretext of looking after patients take shelter in the hospital premises.

"The is quite a known fact, but the authorities tend to overlook the situation," she said.

Theft has also become an everyday occurrence at the hospital.

A police camp housed at the hospital's main gate has 10 officers on duty, but only one armed officer patrols the entire premises.

The officer in charge said they that were not authorised to stop anybody from entering the hospital.

"We only take action on the basis of complaints or if anything unusual happens in the hospital. We do not check the volume of visitors," said Abul Hossain, officer-in-charge of the camp.

Hundreds of middlemen are always active in the hospital and drive away patients to private clinics.

"The syndicate of middle men is so strong that no one dare to say anything to them. They act like DMCH staff. They just cheat patients," said another nurse.

She identified at least 12 middlemen inside the ward.

They sometimes move patients from the hospital without any authority, which leads to the death of such patients.

The nurse informed that at least one patient is taken away by the middlemen from her ward every day.

"We register them as absconding," she said.

The hospital authorities were reluctant to meet the press on this issue. Several attempts to contact the Director of DMCH proved futile.

Dr Kazi Kamaluddin, Deputy Director of the DMCH told this correspondent to get health ministry's permission to talk on the matter. He said they have formed an inquiry committee to investigate the grisly killings but hesitated to give details.