Siddiqur unlikely to get back eyesight: doctor

Physicians on Saturday expressed their fear that Titumir College student Siddiqur Rahman, who suffered grievous injuries in the eyes in police action on a demonstration at Shahbagh in Dhaka on Thursday, might not get back his eyesight.
After operations on the eyes of Siddiqur, National Institute of Ophthalmology glaucoma associate professor Iftekhar Md Munir said, ‘His right eye has been completely damaged while the other was critically injured’.
‘Siddiqur may not get back his eyesight,’ he said, with hopelessness ringing in his voice.
Siddiqur’s mother has called for justice for his son, saying that the damage to his eyes in police action ruined the life her son and the family as well.
Near the cabin of Siddiqur on Saturday afternoon, Solema Khatun, who lost her husband when Siddiqur was just three, was choked with emotion as she described how Siddiqur was the centre of her dreams.
‘I thought Thursday was our nightmare, but we have come to realise the crucial truth today (Saturday) that he will not see any more,’ Solema said.
‘It hurts even more,’ she said, wiping her face as tears rolled down.
Siddiqur, a third-year student of political science at Titumir College, attended a demonstration organised by the students of seven colleges, newly affiliated with Dhaka University, demanding announcement of examinations schedule.
The demonstration was thwarted by police, who charged batons and lobbed teargas canisters.
Siddiqur’s classmates, who was with him during the demonstration, alleged that police shot teargas shells directly on the face of Siddiqur, from a distance of just two-three feet.
‘The close-range shot of teargas shells damaged the eyes of Siddiqur’, alleged Sheikh Farid, one of Siddiqur’s classmates.
In the aftermath of the police action, the police claimed in first information report that Siddiqur’s eye was damaged as flower tubs were thrown targeting police by the students.
The students rejected the police claim.
Solema said her son did not go for committing any crime, but for the cause of his education.
‘I did not see who had fired the tear shells, but now it is the reality that Siddiqur lost his eyesight,’ Solema said.
‘I want justice ... because my son did not go for committing any crime, but for the cause of his education’, she reiterated.
Siddiqur, younger among three children of the widow, is the only son who could go to school.
‘We had a dream that Siddiqur would get a job after completing his study and bring comfort to the family’, Solema said.
Siddiqur’s brother Nayeb Ali, a mason by profession, urged the government to take responsibility of Siddiqur.
‘We want compensation’, he said.
National Institute of Ophthalmology surgeon Newaj Ahmed, who visited Siddiqur on Saturday afternoon, told New Age that a medical board was formed to treat Siddiqur.
‘But there was now no treatment for bringing back the eyesight of Siddiqur, but the injuries can be cured’, he said.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net