After a respite of a couple of days the burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) has once again started to receive victims of arson attacks of mindless violence resorted to by opposition activists.
Truck driver Nazrul Islam, who sustained 20% burn on Monday night in an arson attack in Gazipur, succumbed to his injuries last night at the burn unit.
Even dumb animals have not been spared from the cruelty of dirty power politics.
Seven cattle died following an arson attack in Chittagong area on Tuesday while the driver and his assistant of a truck are fighting for life at the burn unit of the DMCH.
Saiful Islam, 30, the helper of the truck is suffering from 41% burn injury while the respiratory track of the driver Mohammad Abu Mia, 40, received 10% damage.
The duo was going to Chittagong after loading cattle on the truck from Aricha ferry terminal on Monday evening. As soon as they reached Baroaulia Mazar area pickets threw petrol bombs targeting the vehicles that left them injured while seven cattle died.
The driver and helper were admitted to the DMCH around 5pm yesterday.
Saiful, Son of Abdur Rahman, has a two-year-old son and a daughter. As his wife Hasi Begum received the news she just went into a fit of hysteria as without Saiful the family would ruin, Faruk Bhuyia, brother-in-law of Saiful, said.
Akter Hossain, son-in-law of Abu Mia, says Abu is the only earning member of his family and support of his father and mother. His wife Tara Banu, a son and father Abdul Aziz were crying incessantly soon after the accident.
Contacted Taslima Sultana, attending doctor of the burn unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that the condition of both the victims was critical. They were kept under observation.
Hailing from Kalihati of Tangai he has one son, Nure-e-Alam, a student of Class III and a two-year-old daughter Shampa.
Besides, another truck driver, who also came to the DMCH burn unit on Monday night, Mohammad Kamrul Islam with 35% burn injury is undergoing treatment at the burn unit. Hailing from Sahiprotap area of Narshingdi he has two sons – Rasel, 9, and Ripon, 5.
Jahanara Begum, mother-in-law of the victim, in an emotion-choked voice told this correspondent: “Please tell them to stop such violence. We will leave the country never to return. Is this a hartal that put people on fire?