RU Hammer Attack Victim: Toriqul 'forced' to leave RMCH

Toriqul Islam, a leader of quota reform movement at Rajshahi University, was forced to leave Rajshahi Medical College Hospital yesterday, four days after he was attacked with a hammer, alleged his brother Touhidul Islam.

Activists of Chhatra League, pro-Awami League student body, attacked master's student Toriqul near RU main gate on Monday afternoon when he was going to bring out a pre-scheduled procession with national flags. 

Both bones of Toriqul's right leg were broken when he was attacked with a hammer and he had eight stitches on his head as the BCL men hit him with sticks.

Toriqul left RMCH and was admitted to privately-run Royal Hospital in the city's Laxmipur area in the afternoon after the RMCH authorities released him, said his brother.

“His condition seemed to be worsening. He could not move and would cry often in pain,” said Touhid, adding that, “We wanted to stay at the hospital for a few more days. But we are forced to leave.”

Assistant Prof Subrata Kumar Pramanic of RMCH's Orthopaedic Surgery Department denied the allegation of forcing Toriqul to leave the hospital.

“We, doctors, under no circumstances will force any patient to leave the hospital,” he told The Daily Star when contacted over his mobile phone.

“Toriqul was released as we found that he would be able to go home to rest,” Subrata said. He could stay for a few more days if he wanted, he added.

“We face pressure of patients at our ward and cannot provide all patients their complete treatment. We have to release some patients who have better condition to accommodate the worse ones.”

He said there was no pressure on them from any quarter to release Toriqul.

He said Toriqul needed a surgery after two weeks and he would be given a full cast on his broken leg. He could take rest at home until then.

Toriqul's brother Touhidul said the RMCH staffers asked all his attendants to leave the ward at 10:30am when a group of doctors went to visit him.

During the visit, the doctors told Toriqul that he would be released.

“I was astonished hearing this,” Touhidul said.

Touhidul went to the doctors as soon as he heard about his release. Talking to him, one of the doctors told him that his brother could stay if he wanted.

Around 2:00pm, a staff went to Touhidul, handed him over the release letter, and wanted to know when they would leave. Minutes later, the same staff took the letter from him and asked him to collect it from the police.

One and a half hours later, a policeman gave Touhidul the release letter and asked when he was leaving.

“When the authorities handed us over the release letter, the hospital staffers repeatedly asked us when we would leave. The police personnel were asking us to leave. Is it possible for us to stay?” asked Touhidul.

“We cannot leave him untreated; we admitted him to a private hospital,” Touhidul added.

Contacted, Assistant Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam, in-charge of the hospital's police box, said the allegation against the police of forcing the patient to leave the hospital was false.

“How we can force him to leave the hospital, if its authorities do not release him?” he said.

Shahadat Hossain Khan, officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station, said police at the hospital were asked to provide Toriqul security. He was not in police custody.