Eight months after the July uprising, the lives of 614 people — including Riazul, Samrat, and Abu Hanif — who lost their vision due to gunshots to the eyes during the protests have changed drastically.
On Sunday morning, a visit to the Specialized Care Unit on the third floor of the National Institute of Ophthalmology in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Agargaon, revealed patients at risk of losing sight in one or both eyes.
The victims say if they receive advanced treatment, there is still hope for recovery.
Meanwhile, hospital authorities say they are providing care based on each patient's condition.
Reportedly, altogether 1,074 people across the country sought medical treatment after suffering eye injuries during the July protests.
According to data from the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital, between July 17 and April 13, a total of 736 people received treatment there.
Among them, 573 had suffered damage in one eye, 21 in both eyes, and 20 had completely lost vision in both.
Currently, 40 patients are still under treatment, the data revealed.
Woes faced by victims
One of them is 23-year-old Abdullah Babu, a car driver who got shot in both eyes and the head with eight rubber bullets during a protest involving students in the Dania area of Jatrabari on July 19.
Eight months ago, he completely lost vision in his left eye, and now his right eye is also gradually deteriorating.
Abdullah Babu said: “Four rubber bullets hit my left eye, three hit the right, and one hit my head. Although the bullets did not remain in my body because they were rubber, my left eye is completely damaged. My right eye is slowly going dark.
“I was the sole breadwinner for my family. Now I cannot work at all. My father, who is over 70, has had to take a job. Without that, my family — including my mother, wife and child — would be out on the streets.”
Recalling the day of the incident, Babu added: “On July 19, we were holding a procession with students in Dania. Suddenly, the police started firing rubber bullets. When I moved toward the front, they shot directly at my head and eyes. Some people collapsed on the ground. The tear gas made it impossible to see anything. Someone rescued me and took me to the hospital. I have had multiple surgeries here.
"Doctors said my left eye is so badly damaged that a prosthetic eye will have to be inserted. I may even have to go abroad for further treatment.”
Another victim, Sohel Mia, 31, from Netrokona, the sole earner in his family, lies in cabin 244, waiting for his vision to return in his right eye after eight months.
However, doctors recently informed him that there is no hope of recovery.
Sohel said: “I left my job at a garment factory in Chittagong and returned to my village in Bausha in 2023. I was farming and raising cattle and life was going well. But everything stopped on July 18, when I was shot during a protest.”
Describing the day, he said: “We were shouting slogans in front of Madan police station in Netrokona when police opened fire. Five bullets hit my eyes and forehead. I had an initial operation at Mymensingh Medical College and four more here. Out of five bullets, only one has been removed. The other four are still inside my eyes.”
With sorrow in his voice, he added: “My daughter was born on the 20th of last month. I have not even been able to hold her properly. The pain in my eyes and head is unbearable, and now the vision in my left eye is also fading. I do not know what the future holds. I have a wife, two daughters and aging parents to care for. I cannot do heavy work anymore. I cannot go back to my job at the garment factory either because it requires good vision. I have no idea what I will do when I return home.”
Proper treatment
According to the hospital authorities, of the 736 injured patients from the July uprising, 504 have undergone emergency surgery.
Retina surgery was performed on 278 patients, and two had cornea transplants, they added.
However, many of the current patients complain that they are not receiving proper care and fear they will lose their eyesight permanently.
One patient, requesting anonymity, said: “They are not providing proper treatment anymore. They just tell us to eat and sleep. I cannot sleep because of the pain in my eyes, but they do not seem to care. They give some medicine, and that is it. A patient in a less critical condition than me was sent to Singapore. Despite my condition worsening and doctors recommending it, I have not been sent there. If I do not get proper treatment, I will take legal action.”
On the other hand, the hospital’s director, Prof Dr Khair Ahmed Choudhury, told Dhaka Tribune that the hospital authorities are doing their best to provide treatment.
“Most of the victims' eyes were severely damaged when they were first brought in. External specialists also confirmed this. At the time, we focused on preventing further deterioration. We have directly treated 688 patients. Since we could not handle all the patients alone, we referred some to Islamia Eye Hospital and BMA.”
"We are still providing full support and conducting weekly checkups. We are treating them based on their condition,” he said.
