Staff Reporter :Suraiya, who was shot in her mother’s womb, has been discharged from the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Health Minister Mohammad Nasim on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally handed over the newborn to her mother Nazma Begum on Thursday afternoon. Senior officials of the Ministry and the hospital were also present at the time.Dr Kaniz Fatema, Associate Professor of DMCH’s Paediatrics Department who had been overseeing Suraiya’s treatment since she arrived at the hospital, signed the papers for releasing the baby girl, 28 days after she was hit by bullet in the womb.Dr Kaniz said that it was a matter of satisfaction that they could finally hand the baby over to her mother.The four-week old baby was shot in her mother’s womb during a factional clash between two groups of Jubo League, the youth body of ruling Awami League, in Magura on July 23. The attack also left one killed.After receiving her child, Nazma left Dhaka for Magura. “I had not expected that I would get my baby back alive. Both me and my baby are alright now. Now we are leaving Dhaka for Magura,” Nazma was talking to reporters at the DMCH. Nazma was shot in her lower abdomen when she was eight-month pregnant. Her unborn baby too sustained critical injuries on the shoulder and right eye.Miraculously, the baby survived after being delivered following a two-hour caesarean operation on her mother at the Magura General Hospital in that night. Nazma also survived the accident. Doctors of Magura did not expect that the bullet-hit newborn would be able to cling to life. On July 26, Suraiya was transferred to the DMCH where doctors saved her through a commendable collective effort. However, Nazma stayed in Magura to recuperate but was brought to the DMCH on July 30 to breastfeed her baby. Nazma visited Suraiya time to time to breastfeed, but had no chance to keep the baby with her as she was prone to infection. The doctors kept the baby at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital to protect her from infection.
