An aggrieved father has blamed the private clinic where his wife gave birth for the subsequent deaths of the newborn twins, within hours of being born on Tuesday.

The tragedy occurred at the Matriseba Normal Delivery Centre, a private clinic in the Port City’s Jhornapara area.

The victims’ father Md Monir, a tempo driver, said his wife was admitted to the clinic when she went into labour around noon on Tuesday.

“My wife gave birth to twins around half an hour after she was hospitalized,” said Monir, adding that the clinic asked him to shift the babies to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for better treatment.

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“Though the clinic demanded Tk 10,000 for their service, I paid Tk 5,000 since the babies were delivered normally,” he said.

While he was engaged in arguing over this with the clinic authorities, the babies apparently died due to lack of oxygen. Monir blames the clinic for not letting him go and take his children to CMCH without paying the full amount.

A tense situation befell the clinic as news of the tragedy spread through the area, said witnesses.

Md Sakhawat Hossain, the OC of Double Mooring police station, said a team was dispatched to the clinic as soon as they learned about it, and they eventually brought the situation under control.

The clinic was put under lock and key and four staff members were detained by police. OC Sakhawat said that legal action will be taken once allegations are filed officially with police.