Staff Reporter :
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Monday that Siddiqur Rahman would be taken abroad for advanced medical treatment for his eye injuries.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at the Cabinet meeting, expressed concern over Siddiqur’s treatment,” he told journalists after visiting Siddikur at the National Institute of Ophthalmology in the city. In a query, the minister said, “It is alleged that the eyes of the student were hit by teargas shells. A probe body has been formed to investigate the matter.”
Meanwhile, a press release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed on Monday that Siddiqur Rahman will be taken to Chennai of India for advanced medical treatment.
The government will bear all expenses of his treatment, the release added.
“The condition of his right eye is worse [than the left one]. Until Saturday, he couldn’t see with the left eye either. But on Monday he once said he could see a little. But then he said he couldn’t see anymore,” said Dr Iftekhar Md Munir of the National Institute of Ophthalmology.
“This is a positive development [that his left eye is responding to light]. If he doesn’t see any light, we won’t have anything to do,” he said. “We can say that we are hopeful about his left eye. He might need another surgery later.”
Both of his eyeballs have been damaged but the nerves that connect eyes with the brain are intact, said Iftekhar, citing MRI report.
Concerning the injured Siddiqur, the police complained that his eyes were injured when he was hit with a flowerpot hurled by the agitating students.
However, video footage shows that the students had taken position with a banner at the road facing Katabon, when the police came up and snatched their banner.
One of the policemen came up close and shot a tear gas shell at the students, immediately after which Siddiqur fell on the road.
Earlier, after conducting the surgery, the concerned doctors opined that the eyesight of Md. Siddiqur Rahman may not get back to normal.
Siddiqur sustained injuries in his eyes during a demonstration on July 20 when students of seven government colleges, affiliated with the University of Dhaka, gathered at Shahbagh intersection, demanding that their exam dates and routine be announced in time.
