Eleven-year-old Shanto Islam, who took around 79 rubber bullets to his head and back during a clash between police and Jamaat-Shibir activists on Friday, was reported to be in fever but doctors said it was nothing serious.
“There is nothing to be worried about. It’s completely normal to catch a fever at this stage,” said Dr Pijush Kanti Mitro, an assistant surgeon at the neurosurgery department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
“He is responding well to our treatment and likely to recover soon. A medical board is supervising his treatment.”
However, Mitro said, Shanto would have to grow up with dozens of bullets inside his body since “if we want to remove those, it cannot be done without surgery which may cause further bleeding and worsen his condition.”
“Only bullets safe to remove will be removed, once he becomes stronger. Those staying back won’t be much of a problem.”
On Friday, Shanto was caught in the firing line of police as he was going back to his aunt’s house at Fakirapool. He came to Dhaka from Munshiganj after his father had purchased a grocery store at the Kamalapur Railway Station.