IT IS unfortunate that the people injured during the July mass uprising had to take to the streets repeatedly to press home their demand for quality treatment and rehabilitation. On February 2, a group of injured persons, including several undergoing treatment at hospitals, blocked different roads in Dhaka as the government so far has failed to provide them with adequate medical care or financial support. The protesters talked about the bureaucratic hassle and inadequate resources for their treatment and expressed their disappointment at the government鈥檚 compensation scheme. Earlier in the day, amidst protest, the disaster management and relief adviser announced that the government has allocated Tk 232 crore for the injured people and the families of the deceased. Families of the deceased will receive Tk10 lakh in savings certificates, while the injured victims will receive Tk 3 lakh, Tk 2 lakh or Tk 1 lakh based on the severity of their injuries. Injured protesters considered the scheme as unjust and arbitrary, as many had already spent more than the said amount for their treatment. Volunteer groups supporting injured victims in navigating health bureaucracy have repeatedly said that the government needs to consider the cost of treatment incurred before the fall of the Awami League regime. The compensation scheme cannot be an arbitrary figure.
Immediately after the formation of the interim government in August 2024, it declared that it would provide treatment free of cost. However, the injured victims are struggling to access free treatment because of complex and inefficient health bureaucracy. From the experiences of the critically injured victims needing special care in hospitals abroad, it is evident that the health ministry took long to make travel arrangements. A college student, who bore serious bullet injury during the July uprising, was expected to travel to Turkey on January 27, but he had to return from the airport as the health ministry had arranged a ticket for him without considering his disability. Many plans for their treatment and rehabilitation are discussed and proposed, but none recognise the medical emergency they are faced with. Moreover, extended hospital stays for many victims are taking a toll on not only their mental health but also the financial and emotional state of the families. A lengthy hospital stay means the growing cost of food and accommodation for attendants, especially those travelling from other districts. Many of the wounded come from impoverished backgrounds and have already sold their property and means of livelihood to bear additional expenses. The compensation scheme, therefore, should consider physical injury as well as economic loss of the victim and their dependents.
The government should, therefore, prioritise the treatment of critically injured patients, arrange for better treatment abroad, and reconsider the compensation scheme that appears arbitrary. Instead of arbitrarily announcing a financial package for the injured, the government should consult global models that are used to assess physical injury, psychological pain and economic loss for the victims in post-conflict situations. The government should also consider consulting with international groups that have experience in treating patients in post-conflict situations.
