A 19-year-old college student was seriously injured as pro-hartal activists hurled crude bombs in Old Dhaka yesterday.
Sharmin Sultana, a student of Accounting Department of Government Kabi Nazrul College of the capital Laxmibazar area, received splinter injury on her back and waist around 12 noon.
She was going to attend her first day at college from her house in Forashganj area of Baganbari of the capital along with her mother Lima Akther.
When their rickshaw reached in front of Laxmibazar Mohanagar Mohila College area a crude bomb exploded leaving Sharmin badly injured.
According to police and locals, around 11:45am, supporters of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal of Jagannath University (JnU) unit brought out a brisk procession in Victoria Park area.
As police chased the JCD supporters they hurled crude bombs indiscriminately before they fled.
One of the bombs hit Sharmin badly.
Police arrested JnU JCD unit Joint Secretary Khondokar Al Ashraf Mamun from the spot.
Asked, Khalilur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sutrapur police station, said they had arrested Khalil suspecting his involvement in the incident.
Sharmin is the eldest daughter of Shahidul Islam, a cloth trader, in the capital’s Banglabazar area. Sharmin has recently been admitted to Government Kabi Nazrul College.
Victim’s mother, Lima, told the Dhaka Tribune that as it was the Sharmin first day in college I was also going with her.
Sharmin was very excited about her university life but little did she know about the misfortune that was to befall her. Her only thought now is if she will ever be able to start her life all over again.
Asked, Riaz Morshed, resident surgeon of the DMCH Emergency Unit, said splinters had badly injured her back and a portion of crude bomb was stuck in her abdomen.
“We have already taken her to operation theater and nothing can be said for sure right now,” he said.
Sharmin was kept in the Observation Ward as of filing of this report last evening.