On August 4, 2024, during the Monsoon Revolution, Sabbir Ahmed was shot in the face. One bullet changed everything—bursting his right eye and melting the cornea of his left. From that moment on, the world turned dark. But Sabbir refused to be defeated.
“People around me were getting injured—some losing limbs, some dying. I couldn’t imagine going home and leaving them like that,” he recalled.
Once an undergraduate student and a sales executive at a private company, Sabbir had joined a mass procession around noon, marching from Rampura toward the Central Shaheed Minar. But when the procession reached Bangla Motor, police and Chhatra League members opened fire. Protesters retreated toward the Saarc Fountain intersection at Karwan Bazar, seeking to hold their ground.
Gunshots echoed from the Karwan Bazar side as people scrambled for cover. Sabbir was quietly standing under the metro rail station when the bullet struck his jaw—his life changed in an instant. Within moments, he was blinded.
Rakib and Imran, fellow protesters, rushed him to Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) for first aid. Then began a frantic search for care: National Institute of Neurosciences refused him, so did others, until he reached Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he was mistakenly placed among the dead. Only when he regained consciousness and cried out did they realize he was still alive.
He spent more than two months undergoing treatment across several hospitals, including Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and the Combined Military Hospital.
“The ones who lost both eyes should have been sent abroad for better treatment,” Sabbir said. “But even after protesting, only a few were sent—and most of them had one working eye. Very few with total blindness got that chance.”
The cost of blindness has been steep. As the eldest son, he had been supporting his wife, parents, and three younger brothers, all students. Now, his family struggles to meet medical expenses.
Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, the interim government pledged free treatment for the injured. Sabbir underwent several eye surgeries under this initiative and received partial financial support from the July Smriti Foundation. But he believes that support for injured protesters and martyr families has not reached the grassroots effectively.
He also received part of a one-time government grant and remains hopeful about receiving the rest. “I’m deeply grateful to the individuals, political parties, and organizations who have stood by me,” he said.
When asked about legal recourse, Sabbir replied: “If the charges against the fascist government are properly tried, the injustice done to me will also be addressed. That’s why I haven’t taken any new legal action.”
More than just justice, Sabbir sees an urgent need for counselling and rehabilitation. “It is especially important for people who have lost body parts. Without mental support, they can fall apart,” he said.
He called for government- and private-run training programs and employment opportunities that match their abilities. “Without proper rehabilitation, many of the injured will fall into despair, which will harm not just them, but society as a whole.”
Despite losing his sight, Sabbir remains determined to rebuild his life. His courage stands as a living testament that while bullets may take vision, they cannot extinguish spirit.