The sense of fear among the medical professionals in the capital's Holy Family Hospital is palpable. No one would speak on the record, and those that would speak off the record would only do so in a hushed voice. It is as if someone is always watching them even when there is no one around.
At cabin number 207/A, an injured student is being treated in police custody, and the hospital staff has strict orders not to share any information about him with anyone. [ inside-ad]
Mehedi Hasan Zumman, 23, was admitted to the hospital at 9:50pm on Friday (july 19) with gunshot wounds.
Doctors call the nature of his injuries as broken "tibia-fibula," a fracture in the lower leg that happens when a blow places more pressure on the bones than they can withstand.
In Mehedi's case, at least one bullet pierced through inches under his right knee.
A student of journalism at Stamford University Bangladesh, he was hit near Better Life Hospital in Rampura area around 4:00pm when he was standing on a footpath during violence centring on quota protests, according to family sources.
First, he was treated in a private hospital in the area, from where he was later taken to Holy Family.
His detailed medical records could not be obtained as four policemen stood guard around his bed yesterday noon. But five medical professionals of the hospital familiar with his condition said he was now out of danger, but under heavy medication to fight infections.
Utpal Barua, officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station, confirmed that police personnel were guarding Mehedi in shifts round the clock.
"He is under arrest in two cases, including one filed over the attack on BTV centre," the OC told last night.
Police will take him to the police station or produce him before the court upon his discharge, hospital sources said, citing conversations among police officials that they overheard.
Mehedi's father Jamal Uddin cannot believe this.
An office assistant at a private company for 23 years, Jamal said he sacrificed way too much to support his son's education. For many years, his colleagues also offered financial assistance.
Over a year ago, Mehedi opened a shoe store in Malibagh with a friend to support his family as well as his education, said Jamal, who cannot even visit the hospital to see his son out of fear that he might get arrested and lose his job.
Now Jamal blames himself for ever sending his son to school in the first place.
"I will never again tell anyone to send their children to school. Because when they grow up, students learn to protest. If my son were a rickshaw-puller, he would not have joined the quota protests. Then he would not have been in this predicament today. Is it not?" he said, and started sobbing.
