All 16 have gunshot injuries that will take time to heal

Student Zohanul Islam (18) was hit by a bullet on 20 July during clashes centering the quota reform movement in Kafrul of the capital. Physicians say his chest bone has been shattered by the bullet.

Zohanul is undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital in the capital. Till Saturday it has been learnt that 16 persons including Zohanul are under treatment in this hospital. They include a child too.

All of them were wounded in the violence centering the quota reform movement. In the hospital register, "gunshot injury" has been written alongside the names of these 16 patients.

Speaking to Prothom Alo yesterday, Saturday, director of the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital, Professor Md Khairul Anam said 22 persons had been admitted to this hospital with gunshot injuries in their arms, legs, chest and eyes. Of them, six have been transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Pangu Hospital) and the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital. He said, those admitted to the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital may have to undergo surgery for a second time.

This correspondent on Friday afternoon spoke to nine of those under treatment at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital. Some of them were shot while going out to eat, some while going to buy medicine and some on their way home.

Zohanul Islam is under treatment at the hospital's post-operative ward. The wound in his chest in covered in bandages. He told Prothom Alo that the house-help hadn't turned up and food hadn't been cooked at home. At around 1:30 in the afternoon on 20 July he went out to eat, but the food shops in his lane were all closed. He went a bit further, had lunch and was returning home. It was around 1:50pm then. The bullet came and hit him from the metro rail route or a roof or somewhere from above. The people there rushed him to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. From there he was brought to the chest disease hospital.

Zohanul informed Prothom Alo, he was a higher secondary standard student at the Mirpur Cantonment Public School and College in the capital. He was from Bhabaniganj in Lakhshmipur. His parents and the rest of the family stayed in the village. He stayed in rented premises in the Walton lane near Al Helal Hospital of Senpara, Mirpur Section 10. He said that the physicians had said his chest bone has been smashed. It would take quite some time to recover. He said he can't sleep at night because of the pain. His two brothers came to Dhaka when they heard of his injury and they were taking care of him.

Kamrul Ahsan (42) is also under treatment with bullet wounds in this hospital. He told Prothom Alo, he lives with his family in Dilalpur, Pabna. On 18 July he got his elder son admitted at the higher secondary standard in BAF Shaheen College in Dhaka. He rented a house in Aftabnagar, Badda, for his son to stay. After Friday's Jumma prayers on 19 July, he decided to go to the market as things seemed calm near the house. But clashes broke out on the road and a bullet hit him in the back and came out through his chest in front.

Kamrul said the physicians had told him four or five of his ribs had been broken by the bullet. He may have to go to the orthopaedic hospital (Pangu Hospital). He may have to then undergo treatment from there at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital. His left arm is almost paralysed. While speaking, Kamrul broke down in tears. He said, "I have broken down. How will I run my family? I rented a place for my son, but he won't be able to stay there if we don't pay."

Md Momin (23), a worker of the mosquito eradication unit of Dhaka North City Corporation's zonal executive officer's office in Mirpur 10, is under treatment at his hospital. Things seemed peaceful at around 7:15 on the evening of 19 July and he started out from office to return home at the lane next to Al Helal Hospital in Senpara. He told Prothom Alo, "Suddenly there was an outburst of gunfire. A bullet hit me in the back and came out through my chest in front."

Karim Miah (26), a resident of Mirpur 13, was caught by a bullet on 19 July in the afternoon when he had gone out to buy medicine. Under treatment, Karim said after he left the house, he suddenly was shot in the left arm and chest. He is from Khajuria village of Agoiljhara, Barishal. After 5:00 in the afternoon that day, Sohan Shan (28), an employee of a buying house company, was hit by a bullet in the chest in Rampura. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said, "Where is there security for us working people? I am not involved in politics.... When will I recover? How will my family survive?"

An employee (40) of the customs department was lying in the post-operative ward of the hospital with pellets in his eyes, chest and head. He has gunshot injury in his right eye. On condition of anonymity, he told this correspondent that he had been perfectly healthy when he left home, but them was shot by pellets in his right eye, head and chest.

Siddiq Howladar (40), a metal grill workshop worker, was hit in the chest by a bullet on 19 July in the evening at Meradia. On the same day a child, Md Mizan (11), was hit by a bullet at the Mohakhali railway crossing in the afternoon. His rather Md Litu is a rickshaw puller. He is under treatment at the chest hospital. Pabitra Ghosh was hit by a bullet in the afternoon of 19 July at Shah Ali Market in Mirpur 10. Lying in hospital, in a choked voice he told Prothom Alo, "They have snatched our livelihood, how can be survive? I have no idea how long I will be unable to work. My elder son is a higher secondary standard student. He won't be able to run the business. My nine-member family depends on my earnings."

The physicians say that four of the patients in ICU are in a critical condition. They were hit in the chest and abdomen by bullets.

This correspondent on Saturday spoke to associate professor of the surgery department at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital, Mofizur Rahman. Professor Mofizur Rahman said a day labourer Jasim Uddin Miah, under treatment in his unit, was in a critical state. He had gunshot injuries in his chest and abdomen. Mofizur Rahman said it will take a long time for many of those undergoing treatment here to return to normal life.

* This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir