The four critical patients have already been shifted to Intensive Care Unit of the burn unit
He was heading for Mirpur without the slightest shadow of doubt about the lurking danger on his way but as the bus reached near Shahbagh the unthinkable happened.
Something flew in and the bus burst into flames in the twinkling of an eye flames leaping, fire crackling, intense heat singing his face, skin and everything, and finally his vision blurred.
“Completely unaware of the blockade extension I sauntered out on to the street to collect my dues as I had to clear my daughter’s tuition fees,” said an arson attack victim Abu Talha in a feeble voice.
Abu Talha, suffering from 30% burn injury owns a small sanitary shop, said one of his customers told him to go to Mirpur to collect money.
Talha is now being treated at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). He is a lanky man with a small face that has now swelled up to the size of a football under the impact of intense heat.
His JSC student daughter Nupur came to visit him the next morning but she cringed away from him as she could not recognise him.
“Why is Baba wearing a bandage? Why is he stinking?” she asked her mother Nur Jahan who could not answer her questions. She was sitting drained and perplexed with tears streaming down her face.
A nurse came forward and explained that a seriously burnt victim can smell bad.
Ayesha Begum, mother of victim Riad suffering from 15% burn injury, said Riad’s father had lost two legs in an accident and now this incident added rubbed salt into her wounds. She came all the way from Noakhali to see her son.
As this correspondent was enquiring about her son’s condition her temper suddenly flared: “Why are you asking too many questions, would you pay me? If not, then get lost, leave us on our destiny. “Everyone comes for questioning, no one stands beside us for a moment,” she muttered under her breath.
Next to Riad was lying Mahbub, driver of the bus, with 30% burn. His mother Mamota Begum said at first sight I could not recognise my son. “Those devils ruined my son’s physique. My son was quite beautiful to look at.”
Including these three patients, two more are also undergoing treatment at the burn unit. They are Masum, a senior officer of Rupali Bank, who is suffering from 17% burn injury while Gita Shen, a housewife from Luxmibazar area, suffering from 11% burn injury.
The authorities of the DMCH on Saturday formed an 11-member medical board with Prof Dr Kazi Deen Mohammad, head of Neuro-medicine Department, as its chief to ensure better treatment for the patients of blockade victims.
Contacted, Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of burn and plastic surgery unit, said at present 13 patients are undergoing treatment at DMCH. “Of them, four are in critical condition.”
The four critical patients have already been shifted to Intensive Care Unit of the burn unit. They are named as Rahajul who received 25% burn injury, Nurnabi 35% burn injury, Jahangir 15% burn injury and Babu 28% burn injury.
Partha Sanakar Pal, residential surgeon of the burn unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that these patients were being given special treatment as their respiratory systems were affected from the burn.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Mojibur Rahman, elder brother of Ohidur Rahman Babu, said his brother is a student of Political Science Department at the Dhaka University. “He is a quite handsome boy but the fire not only burnt his grace and glamour but it also dashed his dream,” he sighed deeply.
When this correspondent went over to Babu he opened his eyes slightly and in a faint and unsteady voice said: “Brother go to somebody else; I have no strength left to talk to you.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
