Dhaka, May 10 -- Nine-month-old Noor, identified with a single name, has been battling fever and respiratory distress since early April.

On Apr 8, the infant from Chandpur was admitted to the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute (BSHI) in Dhaka. When his condition worsened, doctors moved him to the intensive care unit (ICU).

More than a month later, Noor's mother, identified only as Sumaiya, is still sleeping on the hospital floor beside her child's bed.

His father, Nurullah Hassan, watches the mounting bills with a heavy heart.

In just one month, medicine, ICU charges, and ancillary costs have exceeded Tk 80,000.

Nurullah, a small pharmacy owner with a monthly income of Tk 30,000, is at his breaking point.

"The shop is closed b...