Injured protesters to meet advisers at the secretariat today

Four advisers and an assistant of the rank of state ministers rushed to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) at around 2:30 am on Thursday to pacify the injured people in the mass uprising who were enraged with their treatment and rehabilitation process. The injured agreed to return to the hospital following the assurance from the advisers after around 13 and half hours of blocking the road.

More than 50 injured persons, who are undergoing treatment at the NITOR and the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIOH) , had been demonstrating on the road in front of the NITOR since 1:00 pm on Wednesday.

Some of them have lost their legs, some were in wheelchairs and some had bandages over their eyes. At one point they started chanting slogans demanding the health adviser’s resignation. Later, they demanded four advisers to show up.

Later, they brought their bedding from the hospital to remain on the road at around 12:00 am as the advisers still didn’t show up by that time. Later, at around 2:30 am law adviser Asif Nazrul, adviser for fisheries and livestock Farida Akhter, local government adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, adviser Mahfuz Alam and Md Sayedur Rahman, assistant (health) to the health adviser (appointed with the status of a state minister) went there.

The advisers admitted to their mistakes and expressed regret. They said they would hold a meeting at the secretariat to discuss the demands raised by the injured persons at 2:00 pm Wednesday. They said they would send two cars to carry the delegation from the injured. They also announced to declare an outline for the treatment of the injured persons and their rehabilitation process and implement it within December.

Addressing the protesting people, Mahfuz Alam said, “This is not the right place and time to hear your demands. Come to the secretariat at 2:00 pm tomorrow. We will develop an outline on the basis of discussion there. That outline would be implemented within December.”

Regretting failure to make any proper arrangement till now, he said, “The government will ensure a proper treatment and rehabilitation process for you.”

Adviser Asif Nazrul Said, “We have failures and mistakes. However, there wasn’t any lack in our effort. We failed for some reason or whatever. Have trust in us. We will prepare a concrete outline in writing.”

Admitting to their weakness, adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said, “We took over amid a fragile situation. Several problems popped up. Let’s make an outline on the basis of discussion. You will form a committee to monitor whether the outline is implemented properly or not.”

Md Sayedur Rahman, assistant to the health advisor, promised to provide best possible treatment to the injured. He said, “Give us a chance. We will resign if we fail.”

Adviser Farida Akhter said, “We will solve your problems. You have my word. If we fail, you can do whatever you want. We won’t have any objection. However, we will ensure proper treatment and rehabilitation for you.”

After that, the injured people agreed to return to the hospital. Then the advisers entered the hospital with the protesting injured people and took them to their respective beds. They also visited all the other patients admitted to the NITOR and National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIOH). They returned from there after 4:15 am.

The protest began centering on health adviser Nurjahan Begum’s visit to NITOR. The health advisor went to NITOR along British High Commissioner Sarah Cook on Wednesday. However, the injured patients alleged that the health adviser didn’t meet everyone who was injured during the movement and blocked her way while she was leaving. Later, they took to the street.

According to the eye witness and hospital sources, Nurjahan Begum went to the NITOR around 11:00 am Wednesday. After paying a visit to some victims of the movement, she held a meeting with the hospital’s director and physicians.

By then, the injured patients gathered around the adviser while she was going to brief journalists. Some also lied down before the adviser’s vehicle. They encircled the vehicle in protest. A few of them got in the vehicle of the adviser.

As the situation turned tense, Nurjahan Begum left the scene by a different vehicle. The British high commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook, who was with the adviser, was also caught in the protest. Later she also left in a different vehicle.

The members of the police present there, failed to contain the protesters.

Following the departure of the health adviser, the protesters took to the street in front of the NITOR. As the news spread, the patients who were undergoing treatment at the NIOH also joined them. As a result, vehicular movement along that road was snapped. Upon receiving the news, members of the army reached the spot. They requested the agitated mob to leave the road. But the protesters remained adamant.

After 2:00 pm, injured Md Masum said on behalf of the protesting students, “Although the health adviser visited the fourth floor, she skipped us on the third floor. She came to the hospital after three long months.”

He further said, ““She became an adviser as we shed our blood. The July Foundation was supposed to give Tk 100,000 to each of us but most of the victims are yet to receive the money.”

Al Miraz, a patient who joined the protest from the NIOH said the retina of his right eye was torn. The physicians said his treatment is not possible in any local hospital. Miraz urged the government to manage his treatment in any foreign hospital.

Al Miraz said, “The health adviser paid a visit to the NITOR but she didn’t visit us who were undergoing treatment and the NIOH.”

A number of police and army men were deployed at the spot of the protest from the beginning. At one point, the protesters said they would not leave the road until the health adviser comes again and meets them. Later, they said they wanted four advisers there and the protest continued. At around 9:00 pm, the protesters started chanting slogans demanding the resignation of the health adviser.

Students Against Discrimination convener Hasnat Abdullah went there in the evening. He was accompanied by Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho, brother of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdha. He went there on behalf of the July Shaheed Smrity Foundation (JSSF) and tried to convince the protesters to leave the road. However, the protesters didn’t leave the road despite their request.

Hasnat Abdullah went to the spot again in the night. A scuffle broke out between the injured patients and the men with Hasnat Abdullah. However, the situation calmed within a very short time.