Minhazul Islam Anik had big dreams – to become a doctor or an engineer to serve the people – but political violence splashed cold water on all that. By this time, the 16-year-old was supposed to be studying in college to realise his goal but instead he writhes in pain, struggling for his life on a hospital bed.
He became a victim of mindless political violence on January 5 last year in Feni. The then SSC examinee was returning home after attending a lecture at his teacher’s house when a molotov cocktail hit him in the head.
Anik lost his right eye in the blast and sustained severe damage to the right side of his head. He has undergone surgery twice at a Chennai hospital and is scheduled to go under the knife two more times this year.
The once brilliant science student at Feni Government Pilot High School can now barely concentrate on his studies and often loses consciousness. The school’s headmistress Hosne Ara Begum recalled him as a very meritorious student. “But that incident ruined everything,” she said.
Like Anik, more than 250 others were injured in arson attacks during the BNP-led alliance’s three-month agitation beginning January last year. Firebombing killed at least 90 people during that period. The economy, too, bore the brunt of the violence.
The government has provided about Tk18 lakh for Anik’s treatment last year. His mother Jesmin Rahman said a false retina would be installed in Anik’s right eye.
“Indian doctors have performed surgery on his head twice and told us that nothing can be said about Anik’s condition without two more surgeries,” she told the Dhaka Tribune, wiping tears. The next surgery is scheduled for February and the fourth one in March.
She said her son loses consciousness and his heartbeat stops at times. The latest attack took place on January 4. Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Anik said he was in excruciating pain whenever the attack took place. “I wanted to become a doctor or an engineer but now the only question that strikes me is, will I able to be survive.”
Jesmin wondered why her son was the victim of political violence even as none of her family members was involved in politics. “What was our fault that my son is going through such pain and sorrow?” she asked. “Our dream has been destroyed. We once dreamed of making him a doctor but now our only wish is to see him live.”
His father Mizanur Rahman, an expatriate worker in Oman, used to inquire about Anik’s results and studies but now he only asks how his son was doing. After the incident, Jesmin said they never uttered a word about studies in front of Anik. But Anik said he will not give up.
“I’ve seen a fire in him. He tries to study whenever his physical condition improves to prepare for SSC exams,” his mother added.
Anik said: “I want to take part in exam this year even though I know I will not score good grades as I can only concentrate on studies for about five to 10 minutes at a time.”