401 people’s eyesight damaged in pellets

A total of 401 people’s eyesight has been damaged after being hit by pellets during student-mass movement in July and August.

Of them, 19 have lost sight in both eyes and 382 people lost one eye.

Apart from this, two eyes of two people and one eye of 42 people have severe visual impairment.

This information was gleaned from the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital located in Agargaon of the capital. From 17 July to 27 August, a total of 856 people were treated at the hospital with eye injuries. 718 of them had to be admitted to hospital and 520 people had to undergo eye surgery.

Six of the people who lost sight in both eyes are students; two each are labourers, drivers and job holders and one is a teacher. Professional identities of the remaining six could not be known.

Information of 579 people who were treated at the NIOH during and after the anti-discrimination student movement could be obtained. Among them 558 were men and 21 women.

Of the people treated at the hospital with gunshot or eye injuries, 159 were students. Apart from this, 53 employees, 49 laborers, 35 traders, 29 car, rickshaw, van and CNG-powered auto rickshaw drivers, 11 shopkeepers and shop workers, seven  housewives and seven mechanics.

Apart from this, there are two teachers and policemen and one physician. However, the profession of 224 people is not known.

Rakibul Islam is a resident of Chanpara area of Uttarkhan in the capital. He was hit by bullets on both eyes on 18 July at Rajlokkhi bus stand area during the student movement. He is a sixth semester student of the political science department at Dhaka International University (DIU).

Rakibul told Prothom Alo on 3 September that he had to undergo multiple surgeries on both eyes.

He said he can barely see on left eye while his vision is totally blurred on right eye.

"We had taken position on the road. Suddenly police reached and started charging sound grenades. At one point police fired tear gas shells and pellets. I was hit at that time," Rakibul said.

He said police were hurling stun grenades, tear shells and firing shotgun pellets at the students from the main street while Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League leaders and activists were attacking from other sides.

Construction worker Delowar Hossain lost two eyes. He lives at Joynal Market area in Uttara’s Dewanbari. He was hit by bullets on 20 July evening at Azampur rail crossing area while returning home from Khilket.

Delowar Hossain told Prothom Alo that a chase and counter chase between demonstrating students and police were taking place at that moment.

Suddenly a tear shell canister fell in front of him. As he started fleeing the place, pellets shot by police hit his face and eyes. He has also been hit by pallets on his back.

Delowar’s wife Halima Begum told Prothom Alo that she earns Tk 4,000 monthly by working as a domestic help. The couple has three daughters. Halima is struggling to run the family with the pittance she earns as her husband cannot earn anything for one and half months.

According to information available from the hospital, 63 of the people with eye injuries are below 18 years old. Four of them are below 10.

Two years and three months old Tania was with her grandfather Mohammad Tojammol at his tea stall at Gudaraghat area in Badda on 21 July afternoon. She was hit by pellets shot by police in front of the tea stall. The minor girl lost sight of left eye.

Tojammel said Tania was treated at different hospitals but her eyesight could not be recovered.

Recounting the incident, Tojammel said, "It happened in the afternoon that day. Tania was sitting in front of my shop. A group of policemen came there in a few cars from the direction of Police Plaza. The police vehicles passed in front of the shop. Policemen from a vehicle suddenly started firing after going 20-25 meters away from my shop. Suddenly I saw my granddaughter's eyes were bleeding, his forehead was also swollen."

Tojammel said no demonstration was going on in that area at the moment of police firing.

According to NIOH authorities a total of 53 patients were admitted at the hospital till Monday.

Hospital’s director Khayer Ahmed Chowdhury told Prothom Alo, "Among the patients still admitted, at least two are still at risk of losing vision on both eyes completely. One eye of many others is in very bad condition."