In July of last year, an anti-discrimination movement spread across Dhaka and several other parts of the country. During the movement, Md Al-Amin, 37, a businessman from Mymensingh, could no longer sit idle after witnessing violence unfold before his eyes.
Especially after seeing the death of Abu Sayed, he closed down his shops on July 16 and joined the movement.
Al Amin told Dhaka Tribune that on August 5, he was marching along with other protesters for the fall of the government, passing by the Awami Jubo League office in Ward 29 under Kotwali Police Station in Mymensingh city.
Suddenly, several Awami League men came from the opposite direction of the procession and attacked them with machetes. When Al Amin raised his hand to shield himself, a machete strike severed his right hand from his body. He also sustained serious head injuries, injuries to his leg, and the little toe of his foot was cut off.
Other protesters immediately rescued him and took him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital with the severed hand. From there, he was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and then admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
There, starting on the morning of August 6, doctors conducted an 18-hour-long surgery attempting to reattach his severed hand. Post-surgery, there was a small response, allowing some finger movement. However, on August 22, during surgery to insert a rod in his leg, the tissue in his hand tore apart again, causing the hand to separate once more.
“When my hand came off again even after surgery, the doctors consulted with foreign specialists in several meetings and tried everything to save it, but it wasn’t possible. Eventually, I was told that my hand couldn’t be saved.” The doctors were then forced to perform another surgery to fully amputate the hand.
From August 5 to September 26, Al Amin received treatment at the burn unit. On the 26th, he was discharged with instructions to return periodically for follow-ups or therapy. However, traveling from Mymensingh to Dhaka has become financially burdensome for him.
During his treatment at the burn unit, Brac reached out to him and later provided him with an artificial hand, through which he can now perform some work. “What Brac has done is significant; compared to that, the government has done nothing,” he said. However, the artificial hand is not waterproof, meaning it stops working if it gets wet from rain.
Al Amin said: “The government had promised to provide us with high-quality waterproof hands from Germany and prosthetic legs for those who lost theirs. But we haven’t received any of that yet. I urge the government to fulfill that promise immediately.”
Al Amin shared that he still feels pressure in his head, and rods remain in his leg, which causes pain and discomfort while walking. “At night, I suddenly feel like moving my hand. In my sleep, it feels like I’m moving my fingers; this psychological torment haunts me constantly.”
He has had a rod in his leg since last August, and doctors have informed him that it will be removed in mid-August this year.
During the movement, Al Amin didn’t just participate; he also helped others by distributing water and biscuits to fellow protesters. “Even now, many people greet me saying, ‘Brother, won’t you give us some water? Won’t you hand out biscuits?’ Hearing that lifts my spirits,” he said.
So far, the government has given him only Tk2 lakh in two phases, one lakh each time. But this amount has not been enough for both his treatment and to support his family. Restarting his business would require renting a new shop, paying an advance, and purchasing goods, all of which he cannot afford. He is now struggling to make ends meet with his wife and three children.
Al Amin expressed frustration, saying: “I’ve lost a hand, yet I’ve been listed under the ‘B category.’ The discharge certificate from the burn unit clearly stated I should be placed under the ‘A category,’ but that wasn’t followed.”
He further said: “The government should think about those who have made such sacrifices for the country. They should stand by us, offer us dignity and financial assistance.”
Finally, Al Amin said: “For those who gave their lives and shed blood in this movement, the ‘July Certificate’ is extremely important. It’s more important than financial support. This will be our identity. We want that certificate by this July.”
