Third anniversary of jan 5 polls
Living with horror
Victims of petrol bomb attacks tell their tale
FAISAL MAHMUD
When Sharmin Akter Juthi, a first-year student of Islamic Studies at the Eden College, got into a bus of Bihongo Paribahan on January 18, 2015, she did not anticipate that her life would change after just 30 minutes.
She was in the bus with her newly-wed husband, Jahid Hasan Shuvo, and her fellow classmate and friend, Sathi Akter. When the bus reached the intersection of Dhanmondi-27 and Manik Mia Avenue, two persons on a bike threw a petrol bomb at the bus.
There was a thud and all of a sudden my legs and part of my knees were on fire. I stood still in trauma. There was smoke everywhere. People were trying to get out of the bus. After a while, my husbandwho too was injuredlifted me and I fainted. When I regained consciousness, I found myself in the burns unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).
Juthi was narrating the ghastly incident to The Independent during a recent interview at her house at Harirampur, near Dhaka Beribadh road. Two years have passed, but it is still fresh in her mind.
Showing her burnt leg, Juthi said she hasnt recovered fully. Im unable to walk properly. There is a shooting pain and it increases during the winter.
Juthis friend, Sathi, also remembers the traumatic experience. Every time she takes a bus from her Mirpur home to the Eden College, she fears that someone might throw a petrol bomb. I have recovered physically, not fully though. But mentally I havent recovered. Only victims of such heinous crimes can fathom what we went through, she said.
Mohammd Khokon Mia, Sathis father, said hurling of petrol bombs appeared as a terror tactic in Bangladeshs rogue politics after the January 5 elections. Nobody is caught, no one takes any responsibility. Only the victims suffer excruciating pain and even death in some cases, he added.
Khokon Mia, who is secretary general of the Mirpur Sramik League, told The Independent that after that incident, a lot of people promised a lot of things. Its true that the government bore most of the expenses of the medical treatment of my daughter. But the lawmaker of my constituency didnt come to visit my daughter, even though she publicly pledged to do so, he said.
Jamir Ali, a resident of Hailjur village of Kapasia upazila in Gazipur, became jobless after the incident. He used to work as a bus driver in Dhaka. On January 16, he was drivinghis bus near the Maghbazar intersection when a petrol bomb landed on the left side of the drivers seat. It happened so suddenly. I fainted immediately. Later, I couldnt recollect anything, but only felt an excruciating pain, he told The Independent.
Ali said almost 30 per cent of his body suffered burns and he had to stay in hospital for the next three months. Even now, I havent recovered at all. There is always some itching and pain. Besides, I dont find any strength in my hand and hence cannot work, he added.
He said he still cannot figure out why he had to suffer. I am not involved in politics. Yet, I had to face it. No one is taking my responsibility now, he added. Talking to The Independent, Dr Shamonto Lal Sen of the burns and plastic surgery unit of DMCH said in his long career, he has treated a lot of burns patients.
The patients I usually treat are victims of accidents or other incidents. But those who came after the January 5 election were victims of political violence. It is rather sad because they didnt have any connection with politics. They were just ordinary people, he said.
