Bomb victims face uncertain future

Rafiqul Islam of Special Branch undergoes treatment at the Chittagong Medical College and Hospial. PHOTO: STAR

Rafiqul, who survived with serious injuries a ghastly bomb attack on the Chittagong Court Building premises on November 29, is languishing at the Casualty Unit of Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) and awaiting with his wife an uncertain future.

The aftershocks of the bomb attacks have now gripped equally a few more families like Rafiqul and his wife Asia. Abdul Mazid and Shamsul Kabir are two of them.

Rafiq, Majid and Shamsul are three among 17 innocent people wounded seriously in the dead attack carried out by a suicidal bomber of an Islamist outfit at around 8.45am on the nightmarish day.

Soon after the gory incident, the wards of casualty on the ground floor, the ENT on third floor and the orthopaedics and neuro-surgery on the fourth floor of the hospital turned places of utter shock as the blast surviving 13 cops, including the three, and four other civilians were found groaning in pain with multiple injury marks all over their bodies.

Rafiqul Islam, 45, of Debidwar in Comilla, is a constable of City Special Branch. He had his legs, hands, chest and face lacerated by splinters of the bomb and find difficulty still to speak clearly.

"I set out at 8.00am off my Nasirabad C & B Colony residence to Dampara Police Line from where we went to the court premises and it could be around 8.45am the day when the bomb set off," Rafiqul recalled.

Rafiqul joined the police department in 1983 and transferred to city SB only three months ago. He has three sons.

"What is the guilt of my innocent husband?" Rafiqul's wife Asia asked this correspondent.

Asia said now the biggest concern for me and my sons is that of my husband's fate in future. "If he couldn't cured fully and returned to normal life then I fear the future of this family will be shattered," she moaned.

Asia and her son Sohel sought help from the journalists in this regard. "We believe if you guys draw attention of the government about my family then we might see a ray of hope."

Majid, a constable, was wounded badly in his legs while Shamsul, also a constable, got injured in right hand and head.

"Our biggest concern now is for future of our families. If we don't recover from injuries then we are not sure what fate waits for us. Please pray for our quick and full recovery," the two fellow cops told The Daily Star while at the casualty ward.

Lutfar Rahman, 28, son of M Munjet Ali of Sujanagar in Pabna district, was shifted from Orthopaedics ward to Surgery ward after two days of the admission in CMCH. He was being treated for his badly scratched legs and hands caused by splinters.

Dr Matiar Rahman Khan, Resident Surgeon (general) of the CMCH, conducted an operation on Luthfar's stomach to stitch his damaged intestine. "Luthfar's injuries are grave because splinters are virtually spread different parts of the body," the physician said.

"The injured would survive but I've doubt whether they would be cured enough to lead a normal life in future," Dr Matiar said.

Hospital sources said other injured were sent to different hospitals in Dhaka.