Khadiza fighting for life, survival chances slim
The chances of survival are slim for the girl who was hacked in broad daylight by a Chhatra League man in Sylhet on Monday.
The attacker delivered blows on Khadiza Begum Nargis' head with a machete, and the sharp weapon went beyond the skull multiple times injuring the brain, said doctors.
“With such injuries, the chance of someone's survival is between five and 10 percent,” said Rezaus Sattar, a neurosurgeon at the Square Hospitals where the girl was being treated.
Talking to reporters in front of the hospital, he said Khadiza had a neurosurgery and doctors would observe her for the next 72 hours.
He said the girl was on life support since she had been brought there yesterday morning.
Mirza Najimuddin, medical director of the hospital, said, “During the attack, she must have had initially tried to protect herself by covering her face with her arms, which resulted in injuries to her forearms.”
A student of Sylhet Government Women's College, Khadiza, 23, was hacked repeatedly by Badrul Alam, a fourth-year student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) and also senior assistant secretary of the BCL unit in Sust.
However, the BCL in a statement yesterday urged journalists not to mention the organisation's name while reporting the incident, claiming that Badrul had nothing to do with the organisation.
The statement was signed by Delwar Hossain Shahjada, office secretary of pro-ruling Awami League student body.
BCL Sust unit also issued a statement making similar claims.
It claimed that Badrul was a teacher at a school in Sunamganj and that a job service holder cannot be a member of the organisation.
A Facebook profile that appears to be of Badrul's, however, tells a different story.
It shows Badrul purportedly mentioning himself as the senior assistant secretary of the Sust BCL.
On September 12, Badrul purportedly uploaded a picture of what seems to be an Eid greetings pamphlet featuring a collage of pictures of himself along with three central leaders of BCL.
Wishing not to be named, several activists of the BCL unit said Badrul was indeed holding the post.
Following the attack, Khadiza was initially admitted to Sylhet Osmani Medical College where she had undergone a surgery.
The gruesome attack was carried out on the campus of Murari Chand College (MC College) where the victim had gone to take part in one of her examinations.
A part of the attack was filmed by presumably a bystander with a mobile phone. The clip went viral.
In the clip, a youth is seen repeatedly hacking a girl lying on the ground. There were some bystanders but no one seemed to have intervened.
Yesterday, the Sust administration expelled Badrul and formed a three-member committee to probe the incident.
It was reported in the media that Badrul had tried to flee after hacking Khadiza. However, some local students started to chase him. At one point, police joined in. Together, they caught Badrul.
It was also reported by several media outlets that Badrul did not surrender until police threatened to shoot him.
Police said Badrul lived in Khadiza's house several years ago and used to give her tuitions. Her father, Mashuk Miah, lives in Hausha village of Sylhet Sadar.
Abdul Kuddus, Khadiza's uncle, filed a case with Shahporan Police Station over the incident, said Zedan Al-Musa, additional deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police.
In the case, Kuddus said, “As he started to harass my niece, we told him to leave our house. Although he left the house, he kept stalking Khadiza on her way to college.”
Khadiza's family then contacted Badrul's parents and informed them of the matter.
But instead of stopping him, his parents “tried to encourage” Badrul to continue with his activities, said the case statement
The statement also said Khadiza came under attack when she was returning home after one of her second-year examinations at the MC College.
Badrul ambushed her when she was going past a pond on her way home. Khadiza's classmates tried to save her but they had to run away on being threatened by Badrul, added the statement.
Later, the students along with locals caught and beat Badrul up and handed him over to police.
Meanwhile, students and locals blocked the Sylhet-Tamabil highway for one hour from 11:00pm, demanding justice for Khadiza.
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