Brutality of fake <i>kabiraj</i> in the name of treatment
Shilpi Khatun, victim of 'boiled water treatment' by a fake kobiraj, take treatment at Santhia upazila health complex in Pabna district.Photo: STAR
With serious face injuries caused due to 'boiled water treatment' by a fake kobiraj (herbal practitioner), Shilpi Khatun of Khetupara village in Santhia upazila under Pabna district is groaning in pain at the upazila health complex. The accused, Ismail Mollah, 55, of Hasanpur village in the upazila, forcibly put Shilpi's face into the boiled water when she went to him for treatment on May 31, the victim told the journalists. “I went to the house of the kobiraj for treatment of severe stomach ache from which I was suffering for two weeks. In the name of treatment, the kobiraj held my hair and forcibly put my face into the boiled water. I started screaming and fainted," said Shilpi, 24. Hearing her scream, locals rushed to the spot and rescued her, the victim's family members said, adding that her face and eyes got burnt due to the so-called treatment. As Shilpi's condition deteriorated, she was admitted to Santhia upazila health complex on June 1, they said. Blaming the fake kobiraj for brutality in the name of treatment, Dr Md Monsurul Islam, upazila health and family planning officer, said, "We are giving treatment to cure the injuries on her whole face, caused by boiled water. She is improving. After cure of the burn injuries, she will need more treatment for removal of the burn spots on the face.” Shilpi's family filed a case with Santhia police station accusing the kobiraj of attempting to kill the victim in the name of treatment. "We are continuing drives to nab accused kobiraj Ismail Mollah who left the village after the incident," Santhia police station officer in charge SM Bazlur Rashid said. Shilpi, daughter of labourer Md Hanif of village Khetupara, was married off five years ago. But her husband later married another woman and she returned to her father's residence and continued living there. "The poor family does not have the ability to continue the treatment for burn injuries. We are giving medicine from the hospital. If more medicines are needed, we will try to manage it with the help of poor fund of the hospital,” Dr Monsur said.
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