‘Fate played a cruel game on me’

It has been just over a week since Rohingya youth Yousuf Nabi stepped on a landmine while fleeing the ongoing military crackdown in Rakhine state of Myanmar. After receiving emergency treatment in Cox’s Bazar he was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where doctors said they had no choice but to amputate both of his legs. The ill-fated youth was still groaning from the pain of his blast injuries when the Dhaka Tribune encountered him lying on a mattress in the corridor of the Orthopedic Surgery department at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. “I cannot imagine that I will not be able to walk again,” Yousuf said. “I cannot move my body. My right hand is badly injured. I cannot even see properly. Fate played a cruel game with me.” Yousuf suffered his horrific injuries shortly after reaching the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on September 10. His wife, Rajia Begum, told this correspondent of how they had fled their home village through desperation after the Myanmar army torched their house. “After a tiring walk of four long days, we managed to reach the Ghumdhum border along with scores of Rohingya people,” she said. “Right at that moment we heard that the Myanmar forces had commenced an aerial bombardment. After getting to know this, my husband retraced his steps to Myanmar and suffered injuries from a landmine blast.” Rajia said the couple have been married for seven years, but believed her husband would be unlikely to return to his former job as a farmer. “I have two sons and a daughter. I do not know what to do now,” she said. Dr Kamal Uddin, of CMCH Orthopedic Surgery department, told the Dhaka Tribune of the drastic decision they took to save the life of the Rohingya youth. “We had no option but to amputate his legs. It will take time for him to recover from the wounds,” he said. Yousuf Nabi is not alone in his suffering at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. “A considerable number of Rohingya people are now undergoing treatment at the Orthopedic Surgery ward, mostly with gunshot, sharp weapon and landmine injuries,” added Dr Kamal. As of September 17, 114 Rohingya refugees including women and children have received treatment at CMCH. Among them, two succumbed to their injuries, two fled from the hospital and 27 were discharged. That leaves 83 of the Rohingya refugees who remain in the care of the hospital. Most have sustained bullet wounds and burns injuries, but there is at least one other who has stepped on a landmine. Also found lying on a mattress in the corridor of the Orthopedic Surgery ward was Nabab Sharif, a 17-year-old Rohingya who has been receiving treatment at CMCH since late August. “The doctors have performed an operation on both of my legs. I have had enough of my sufferings. I do not want to return to Myanmar anymore,” said Nabab, who said he stepped on a mine while escaping Myanmar. Another Rohingya youth, 23-year-old Md Jubayer, has been receiving treatment for serious burn injuries and loss of eyesight after Myanmar forces torched his house on August 27. Dr Mishma Islam of the Burn & Plastic Surgery Unit at CMCH told the Dhaka Tribune that Jubayer was admitted on August 29 with serious inhalation injuries. The number of Rohingya refugees receiving treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has been increasing with each passing day. CMCH Director Brig Gen Md Jalal Uddin told the Dhaka Tribune that most of the Rohingya patients admitted to the hospital had gunshot wounds. “Some medicines were being provided to the Rohingya patients from the Patients’ Welfare Fund of the hospital. We are sparing no effort to provide them with the best possible medical treatment,” the CMCH director said.