Blogger Tareq Rahim out of hospital after a month

Secularist writer-blogger Tareq Rahim who was critically injured in an attack at Shuddhashwar publisher's office in the capital's Lalmatia a month ago was released from Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday.

Also a software engineer, Rahim, 30, was shot in the left hip, and his arms and head were hacked with machetes during the October 31 attack by unknown people.

"Rahim's health significantly improved and he has been able to walk without much difficulty. But he won't be able to use his fingers normally," said Dr Khwaja Abdul Gafur of DMCH.

Orthopedists operated on his injuries in several phases to get him in his present state, said Gafur, adding Rahim would have to see doctors regularly for "routine checkups".

Fearing further attacks, at least three policemen stood guard 24 hours at the cabin where Rahim was admitted, said Sentu Das, an assistant sub-inspector of the hospital's police camp.

The attack left Faisal Arefin Dipan of Jagriti Prokashani killed and Shuddhaswar publisher Ahmedur Rashid Tutul and blogger Ranadipam Basu badly injured.

Both Tutul and Dipan were publishers of slain secularist writer-blogger Avijit Roy. Tutul and Basu were released from DMCH earlier.