Journalist loses leg as bus runs him over
Journalist Nikhil Bhadra lost his leg yesterday, hours after a BRTC bus ran him over in front of Jatiya Press Club in the morning.
Witnesses said the bus run by BRTC (Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation) hit the 38-year-old senior reporter of Bangla daily Kaler Kantha around 9:45am while he was crossing the road.
Doctors at National Orthopaedic Hospital and Rehabilitation Institute said his right leg has been amputated from the knee and that he is now out of danger.
Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station, said Nikhil was whisked off to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to the orthopaedic hospital as his condition was critical.
Police seized the vehicle right away and arrested the driver, Sohel Rana, 22, at night from Mirpur 12, he added.
To protest the accident, enraged journalists from print and electronic media staged demonstrations at the scene for around two hours from 12:00 noon. They put up a barricade on busy Topkhana Road demanding immediate arrest of the driver.
The journalists also brought out a procession, burnt tyres and damaged several vehicles.
Meanwhile, the communications ministry yesterday formed a five-member committee headed by its Joint Secretary Mohammad Moyeenuddin to probe the accident. The committee will also have representatives from journalists.
Signed by the probe body chief, a press release said the committee will submit its report within five working days.
Meanwhile, Dr Modassir Ali, health adviser of the prime minister, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader, Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad and a number of government top brass visited Nikhil at the hospital where many journalists were also present.
Modassir told reporters that the decision whether Nikhil needs to be sent abroad or not will come today.
The communications minister pledged to bear the cost of his proper treatment. “I will talk to the prime minister about it,” Quader said.
Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad in a fax message expressed his concern over the accident and demanded compensation for the victim.
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