Welcome to the cruel world

The atrocity this unborn baby faced beats wartime savagery. Before she was born, one bullet pierced her right shoulder and another critically injured her right eye, as if to tell her that even a mother's womb is no longer a safe place for the unborn.

Miraculously though, she survived after a two-hour caesarean operation on her mother at Magura General Hospital Thursday night. The 35-year-old mother, Nazma Khatun, survived too.

The newborn received bullet injuries when her eight-month pregnant mother was shot in the abdomen during an attack by a Magura Jubo League faction on the extended family of another rival faction Thursday afternoon, which left one killed and another person injured.

Doctors are still concerned about the newborn's eye as she undergoes treatment at the pediatric surgery ward of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) while her mother is being treated at the Magura hospital.

"Doctors in Magura advised us not to move her mother, as it was risky right after the surgery. Since the baby's condition was getting worse, we brought her here without her mother," said Rezwan Kabir Bhuiyan, the baby's uncle, who along with the newborn's aunts -- Sheuli Begum and Shikha Begum brought her to the DMCH in the early morning on Sunday. 

"Doctors at DMCH are still unsure whether the baby would be able to see with her injured eye," Rezwan said.

However, duty doctors there said the newborn's condition has not deteriorated yet but it would have been better if her mother were here.

The incident took place when pro-ruling party activists Azibar Sheikh and Mohammad Ali along with several of their followers attacked Kamrul Bhuiyan and his relatives who too belong to a pro-ruling group.

Police and local sources said there is a long-standing feud between Kamrul and Azibar. Living in Doyarpar area in Magura town, both are involved in Jubo League politics at the district level, police said.

Nazma is wife of Kamrul's elder brother Bachhu Bhuiyan.

Kamrul's uncle Momin Bhuiyan, 65, who received injury from gunshots and bomb splinters, died at Magura General Hospital early Friday morning.

A supporter of Kamrul, Miraz Sheikh, 27, was also hacked during the attack. 

Bachhu, father of the newborn, said his wife's condition was still critical. "We are still in fear as Sheikh and Ali are giving us threats of dire consequences over the phone after we filed a case against them on Friday," he claimed.

Officer-in-Charge of Magura Police Station Asaduzzaman Munshi said, "We arrested two of the accused and are trying to arrest the rest."

Sixteen people including district BCL vice president Sen Suman were accused in the case filed by Momin's son Rubel.