Phulbari Flare-up
Injured yet to get govt aid
Our Correspondent, Dinajpur
The bullet-hit victims of the August 26 carnage in Phulbari, Dinajpur are yet to get financial support for their treatment even though the government said on Wednesday that it would compensate the victims within 72 hours. The government on Wednesday pledged to provide a compensation of Tk 2 lakh to each of the families of those who died on August 26 and a total of Tk 9 lakh compensation for the injured. Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu had made the pledges in a public meeting at Phulbari after signing an agreement with the demonstrators in Parbatipur. Dinajpur Medical College Hospital sources said Md Rezaul Islam, 23, Md Osman Ali, 19, Saiful Islam Labu, 30, Shah Newaz Bin Akram, 17 and Md Mahsin Ali, are receiving treatment at the hospital since August 26. All of them received bullet injuries, doctors of the hospital said. Mahsin Ali, who received bullets injuries in his chest, is receiving treatment at the balcony of the hospital. He said he cannot afford a cabin and he would apply for government help soon. Akram told The Daily Star that around 10 policemen beat him up breaking his leg and hand after he was bullet-hit. He said he did not receive anything from the government yet. Doctors of the hospital said the victims, who have received bullets in the hand, chest and lower part of their body, should immediately be shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. The families of the victims told The Daily Star that they are having financial difficulties treating them in Dinajpur and moving them to Dhaka is a proposition they cannot afford. They said they have to spend around Tk 600-700 every day for their treatment. Duty doctor Abul Kalam Azad said a magistrate on Saturday visited the hospital only to collect information about the victims. However, the victims' families alleged neither government officials nor any members of the Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Electricity and Port have paid them a visit. Meanwhile, Md Bakul, 20, and Dulal, 14, who were receiving treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital, have been shifted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital in Dhaka yesterday. Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Phulbari Hasan Sarwar yesterday said they are preparing the list of the injured. He said they would send the list to Dhaka for the allocation of funds for the victims' treatment once it is finalised. Asked when the funds will be available, he said it would take at least 20 to 25 days for the fund to arrive.
| 
