Demand better treatment and funds; health advisor outraged by NITOR

Staff correspondent

Thu November 14, 2024 00:00 Last updated on: Thu November 14, 2024 03:05

Photo: Anisur Rahman

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Photo: Anisur Rahman

Faced with 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 on crutches – then left the hospital and blocked the adjacent road.

They said they would not clear the road until the health advisor had met with everyone.

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

Confirming the incident, Ziaul Haque, additional deputy commissioner of police, Tejgaon division, said the councilor left safely and her car was not damaged.

At the time of filing this report around 1:30 a.m. today, the protesters were still on the road.

At around 10:30 p.m. last night, Hasnat Abdullah, organizer of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the July uprising, and Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho, general secretary of the July Smriti Foundation and brother of murdered student protester Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, went there to speak to the demonstrators.

They said they found that many of the injured were not protesters of the movement but were supporters of the Awami League, adding that the foundation was working to verify and cross-check the list properly and that was the reason for many victims had not yet received their compensation.

Hasnat mentioned that the health advisor is a cancer patient and his newly appointed assistant Prof Sayedur Rahman, former vice-chancellor of BSMMU, might visit him instead.

However, protesters said they would remain on the streets, whether or not they lose another member, until councilors return to speak to them all and ensure proper treatment and disbursement of funds.

One protester said he wanted the health advisor to resign.

Separately, hospital authorities said those injured in the July uprising were given the highest priority. Special rooms and food were designated for them.

Shahidul Islam, 19, a protester who was shot and currently 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 did not only spoke to a few of the patients. hurt.

“There are at least 42 of us receiving care on the second floor but the counselor left the hospital without visiting us.”

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

At one point, soldiers 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 arrives here but chooses to neglect us.”

Expressing her grievances, Masum said, “She became a counselor because of our blood. Many of us are yet to receive the compensation promised by the July Foundation.”

Al Miraj, an MBA student at IUBAT, was injured in both eyes while protesting in Kakrail on the afternoon of July 19.

Since then, he has been treated at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and hospital. “Doctors said treatment for my right eye was not available in the country. We took to the streets to demand better treatment.”

Currently, 84 protesters injured during the uprising are being treated at NITOR. Two separate rooms are dedicated to them – one on level 2 and another on level 3, according to hospital officials.

To date, 21 people have had their hands and legs amputated, while six patients have died.

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

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

Md Badiuzzaman, deputy director of NITOR, said medical teams from China and Thailand have visited them, and a team from the United Kingdom is working to evaluate their treatment. Until yesterday, 15 people were operated on.

“In addition, foreign medical teams have expressed great satisfaction with our medical procedures. But it will take a long time for the condition of patients to improve, especially those suffering from nerve damage… Any claims that we We are not providing appropriate treatment is false.

Regarding those who have not received compensation from the July Foundation, he said: “To our knowledge, there have been problems with the papers of some patients, which is why they have not yet received the ‘money “.