After nearly 13 and a half hours of protest, the injured from the July-August uprising agreed to return to the hospital after assurances from the interim government.
Four advisers promised to address their demands, persuading them to leave the road outside the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor), where they had been demonstrating since Wednesday for adequate medical care.
During the protest, they also demanded the resignation of Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum.
To calm tensions, Legal Affairs Adviser Asif Nazrul, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar, Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud, Adviser Mahfuz Alam, and Health Assistant Dr Md Sayedur Rahman arrived outside Nitor around 2:30am on Thursday.
The advisers acknowledged their mistakes and offered apologies, announcing a meeting to discuss the injured group’s demands at the Secretariat at 2pm on Thursday.
They promised to arrange transportation for the representatives and outlined a plan to implement a roadmap for treatment and rehabilitation by December.
Adviser Mahfuz Alam addressed the protesters, saying” “This is not the right time for a detailed discussion. Join us at 2pm tomorrow (Thursday) at the Secretariat, where we will draft a comprehensive plan to be executed by December.”
He apologized for the lack of adequate support so far, adding” “Your treatment and rehabilitation will be assured.”
Legal Affairs Adviser Asif Nazrul acknowledged the government’s shortcomings, saying” “We made mistakes, but our efforts were sincere. For various reasons, we could not meet expectations. Trust us to provide a clear, written roadmap.”
Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud admitted the challenges they faced, and said: “We took responsibility in a fragile situation with multiple crises. Let us create a plan through discussion, and you can form a team to monitor its proper implementation.”
Following these commitments, the injured agreed to return to the hospital, with the advisers accompanying them.
The group settled into their beds before the advisers departed at around 4:15am, after checking on other patients at Nitor.
