Dhaka, March 14 -- I was in deep sleep in the middle of the night, when the call came with the shocking news of my dear friend Arefin's passing away. A few days earlier I had heard Arefin fell ill while trying to draw some money at an ATM booth at Dhaka Club. He was immediately rushed to the ICU at BIRDEM.

His only daughter Propa reached out to me in Singapore and asked if I could help contact some hospitals to see if they would be able to treat her father. She shared the case report & I consulted NUH (National University Hospital), Neurosurgery department. Propa at my request shared Arefin's ongoing prescriptions. Doctors at NUH were concerned whether the patient could travel from Dhaka due to his existing health condition.

I got the f...