Injured patients admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital during the quota reform movement and subsequent student-led mass uprising now worry about their future as many of them do not know when they can return to normal life and work.
They said on August 29 that while the interim government鈥檚 initiative to provide them free of cost treatment brought some relief, financial uncertainties of their families continued to linger as their injuries prevented them from going back to work.
On the same day, Dhaka Medical College Hospital director Md Asaduzzaman said that 89 patients, including 24 students, who were injured during the uprising that brought the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, were undergoing treatment at the facility.
In a press briefing the hospital revealed that 88 victims relating to the movement were brought dead and 84 died while undergoing treatment at the hospital from July 14 to August 25.
Pickup van driver Saidul Islam, who received treatment for bullet wounds, was released from the hospital on Thursday. His 6-member family living in a rented house in Jatrabari area is entirely dependent on his earning.
Saidul was hit by a bullet that pierced through his right leg breaking the bones in front of the Jatrabari Police Station on August 5.
鈥楧octors said that it would take around six more months to recover. I could not earn a single farthing this month and may not be able to go back to work in the next six months,鈥� said Saidul, adding that he decided to move along with his family back to his village in Madaripur sadar as he was not capable to earn now.
Another bullet wounded patient Muhammad Jashim, a roadside cloth seller, is also facing uncertainty as he did not know when he could restart his small business that supported his 5-member family.
A bullet pierced through his left leg breaking the bones during a clash between protesters and law enforcers in Uttara at the time of the movement, said Jashim, adding, 鈥楧octors will release me today. But I don鈥檛 know when I can restart work.鈥�
Expressing the same uncertainty, Md Sharif, a shoe seller on the streets of the New Market area, said that as the eldest son he maintained a 4-member family.
A bullet broke the bones of his right leg during a clash between protesters and different wings of Awami League and law enforcers on July 19.
鈥業 had to return to my village home in Chandpur after immediate treatment at Popular Hospital and Dhaka Medical,鈥� said Sharif. He added that he went first to Popular Hospital and received primary treatment and later went to Dhaka聽 Medical College Hospital where his bullet was removed, but as both the hospitals refused to admit him he returned to village.聽
鈥業 took loans to continue my treatment in my village,鈥� said Sharif, who was admitted to the DMCH on August 22 and is now waiting to get a schedule for a surgery.
鈥楾here is no earning person in the family except me. My family is already struggling to survive,鈥� he said.
