July uprising: The wounded take to the streets

In response to the situation, the health advisor left in another vehicle. The British High Commissioner also had to leave the hospital in another car.

The injured protesters – some with bandages on their hands, legs or eyes and others in wheelchairs or crutches – then left the hospital and blocked the adjacent road.

They stated that they would not clear the road until the health advisor had met everyone.

They also expressed frustration over not receiving the promised compensation of Tk 100,000 each.

Ziaul Haque, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tejgaon Division, confirmed the incident and said the consultant left safely and her car was not damaged.

When this report was filed around 1:30 am today, the protesters were still on the move.

Around 10:30 pm last night, Hasnat Abdullah, chairman of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the July uprising, and Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snachtigho, general secretary of the July Smriti Foundation and brother of murdered student protester Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, went to on site to talk to the demonstrators.

They said they discovered that many of the injured were not protesters of the movement but supporters of the Awami League. They added that the foundation was in the process of properly verifying and checking the list and that this was the reason that many of the victims had not yet received their compensation.

Hasnat said the health advisor is a cancer patient and her newly appointed assistant Prof. Sayedur Rahman, former vice-chancellor of BSMMU, may visit instead.

However, the protesters said that they will remain on the streets, whether they lose another limb or not, until the counselors come back and talk to all of them, and ensure proper treatment and the payment of money.

One protester said he wants the health adviser fired.

Meanwhile, hospital authorities said the wounded were given top priority during the July uprising. Special departments and food have been designated for them.

Shahidul Islam, 19, a protester who was injured by bullets and is now being treated on the second floor of the hospital, said the counselor and others arrived at the hospital and went to the third floor, where they met only a few of those present. spoke. injured.

“There are at least 42 of us being treated on the second floor, but the consultant left the hospital without visiting us.”

Upon hearing the news, the other injured protesters from July, who are being treated in nearby hospitals, also joined the protests.

At one point, military personnel stationed near the hospital asked them to return to the hospital.

However, Md Masum, sitting in a wheelchair, said they would not leave until the health advisor returned to meet them. “After three long months, she finally comes here, but she decides to neglect us.”

Expressing his grievances, Masum said, “She became a consultant for our blood. Many of us have yet to receive the promised compensation from the July Foundation.”

Al Miraj, an MBA student from IUBAT, was injured in both eyes during a protest in Kakrail on the afternoon of July 19.

Since then he has been receiving treatment at the National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital. “Doctors have said that treatment for my right eye is not available in the country. We took to the streets to demand better treatment.”

Currently, 84 injured insurgency protesters are being treated at NITOR. According to hospital officials, two separate wards have been set up for them: one at Level 2 and one at Level 3.

So far, 21 people have had their hands and legs amputated, while six patients have died.

Shahin Alam, a ninth-grade student who was injured and treated at NITOR on August 5, also protested yesterday.

“I was shot in my left leg and underwent four operations in NITOR. The doctor told me to come back after nine months. I don’t think I am getting proper treatment here.”

Md Badiuzzaman, deputy director of NITOR, said medical teams from China and Thailand have visited them, and there is a team from Britain working to assess their treatment. Until yesterday, 15 people have undergone operations.

“In addition, the foreign medical teams have expressed great satisfaction with our medical procedures. But it will take a long time for the patients’ condition to improve, especially those with nerve damage… Any claims that we do not provide proper treatment are false. .”

Regarding those who have not received compensation from the July Foundation, he said: “As far as we know, there were some problems with some patients’ papers, and that is why they have not received the money yet.”