424 patients in all were treated at the National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital (NIOH) following their encounters with tear gas shells and pellets fired by law enforcement during the quota reform campaign. 278 of them required eye surgery. Pellets struck the majority of them in the eyes.
According to hospital officials, these people were treated there from July 17 to July 22. 318 of them in all were admitted to the hospital; following treatment, the majority of them left on Tuesday.
Many are still admitted at the hospital. Some had to undergo multiple surgeries. Many patients and their relatives are afraid if they would ever get their eyesight back.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Habibur Rahman, a resident of the Demra neighborhood of the city, was resting on a bed in the observation room next to the emergency operation room. He had a bandaged head and was wearing black sunglasses. He had taken off the sunglasses when he noticed an injured eye. On Thursday around midnight, he was admitted to the hospital.
Pellets struck Habibur, a first-year undergraduate studying management at a private university, in the head and right eye. He worries that he won’t be able to see again.
Around three o’clock on Thursday, Habibur informed Prothom Alo, he and his friends and classmates were protesting in front of Jatrabari Kachabazar, calling for quota reform. Abruptly, a white microbus carrying a group of passengers arrived on the scene and opened fire. That’s when he got hit.
Habibur’s mother, Morzina Akter, said to hospital staff member Prothom Alo, “My son was rescued and admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.” I ran over there. Because of pellet injuries to his skull, my son was sent to a private hospital in Malibagh. He was brought to this hospital for eye care following a head surgery.
“On Saturday, my kid had surgery here. However, because his eye is still leaking, the doctors have announced that they will operate on it again on Tuesday. We are currently awaiting it,” she continued.
Under the condition of anonymity, a hospital nurse told Prothom Alo, “This hospital provided treatment to many who were injured during the protests and clashes.” Some of them had severe damage to their eyes. Many of them may become permanently blind.
Rakibul Ahsan, a resident of Barishal’s Nathullabad neighborhood, is being treated in the hospital’s ward 451. He is a fourth-year student at BM College in Barishal studying statistics.
Rakib was wounded in the right eye on Tuesday when a group of persons attacked demonstrators near the Nathullabad bus terminal.
Prothom Alo was notified by Rakib that he was being treated at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital through Wednesday and was then moved to Dhaka on Thursday. The next day he had surgery on his eyes.
Rakib stated that he had a fifty percent chance of regaining his sight, citing the doctors.
During the altercations, numerous pedestrians, professionals, and regular people were hurt in addition to the demonstrators.
While walking home from work, Zihad Mahmud of Mirpur-1 in Dhaka reported that he was struck by pellets in both his body and eye near Mirpur-2. Zihad attends a technical institute where he studies for a diploma.
Zihad claimed to be employed in a fast food restaurant in Mirpur-2 as a salesman. The shop had a few customers on Thursday, July 18, as things worsened. Staff members Zihad and others received early leaves. It was about 5:30 p.m., and he was heading home via the Darus Salam region. Zihad saw the fight coming and hid behind a bus, but he was wounded by pellets in both his body and eye and was unable to protect himself.
