Cop action at Shahbagh: Student's eye injury may not recover

The eyesight of the college student, who suffered serious eye injuries during a police action at Shahbagh of Dhaka on Thursday, may not get back to normal, doctors said after conducting a surgery on him today.

Siddiqur Rahman of Titumir College was injured when police lobbed a teargas shell on the students of seven colleges demonstrating demanding the announcement of their examination schedules. He is undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Ophthalmology (NIO).

Dr Iftekhar Md Munir, an associate professor at NIO and also a member of the medical board, told The Daily Star that, “His one eye has been surgically repaired while the other was washed”.

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“The chances of his full recovery are dim,” the doctor said adding that the five-member medical board formed for his treatment has initiated the treatment process but Siddiqur will need treatment over a prolonged period.

The physician suspected Siddiqur's eyes were hit by some thick and heavy objects. His eyes and face were swollen due to the injury, Iftekhar added.

The student could not say how he was hurt during the altercation between students and police. He could only feel his eyes were bleeding before he blacked out, a friend quoted him as saying.

Police however claimed that he was wounded by objects thrown by the demonstrators.

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On Thursday, some 500 took position near Shahbagh intersection after forming a human chain in front of the National Museum, demanding announcement of exam schedules of different academic years.

Police asked them to leave as the demonstration was causing traffic congestion. As they refused to obey, police took actions to disperse them.

Later, police filed a case against around 1,200 unnamed students of seven government colleges on charges of attempting to kill policemen, rioting with lethal weapons and damaging property.

Witnesses and students say the allegations are false.

Contradictory statements over the injury: DMP chief

Terming the statements over the eye injury of Siddiqur “contradictory”, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Chief Asaduzzaman Mia today said, “Police claimed the college student might have been hurt by heavy object hurled by his fellows when law enforcers tried to disperse them firing teargas canisters. On the other hand, the students alleged that Siddiqur was hurt by teargas shell.”

“The boy is now undergoing treatment and we are closely observing his condition,” he said at a programme.

“We will take proper actions after investigating into the incident,” he added.

Law enforcers lobbed teargas shells after they failed to pursue the agitating students to leave Shahbagh intersection, Asaduzzaman Mia said.

“Police only took action when the students attempted to vandalise vehicles,” he added.