A glimmer of hope for Khadiza

The condition of Khadiza's brain may gradually improve if she remains stable in the next few days, said her brother, quoting doctors.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Shahin Ahmed, who is a medical student in China, said the doctors are hopeful that his sister would regain her consciousness.

“But it's too early to come to a conclusion,” he said, adding that Khadiza moved her leg without being given any pain stimulus yesterday.

Shahin has been staying at the Square Hospitals with his sister since he returned to the country on Thursday.

Quoting doctors, he said Khadiza was in a coma when she was brought to the hospital on October 4 and was slowly regaining consciousness.

Khadiza Begum Nargis, a 23-year-old college student from Sylhet, is undergoing treatment at the hospital's Neuro Intensive Care Unit.

On October 3, she was hacked multiple times by Badrul Alam, a fourth-year student of economics at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust).

Badrul is also the senior assistant secretary of the Sust unit Chhatra League. He attacked Khadiza inside MC College where she had gone to sit for an examination.

BCL, however, says Badrul has nothing to do with the student organisation.

“My mother is still in shock. She is crying every now and then. I am also worried about her,” Shahin said.

Badrul used to stay in Khadiza's house in Hausha village of Sylhet Sadar upazila and gave her tuitions. However, he was asked to leave after he started to harass her some seven to eight years ago.

Shahin said several children from needy families used to lodge at their house.

“We live in a joint family, and Khadiza and I have nine cousins,” he said. “My parents and uncles had thought Badrul was a good person and a meritorious student.”

After Badrul hacked Khadiza on that day, some students along with locals caught and beat him up before handing him over to the police.

He later confessed to hacking Khadiza with an intention to kill her.