Hundreds blinded by bullets

An eye doctor from a Dhaka hospital, where 864 injured people were treated during the July uprising, said 493 of them lost vision in one eye while 11 became completely blind.

Twenty-eight others had severe visual impairment, Zakia Sultana Neela, assistant professor at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday.

Neela, a prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case filed against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her two top aides, said almost all patients were admitted between July 17 and August 6 last year.

Recounting the inflow of patients, she said that July 18 and 19 were blood-soaked days.

Apart from Neela, three more witnesses testified yesterday. The ICT-1 has so far recorded testimonies of 24 witnesses in the case in which former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who has turned an approver, are also accused.

Describing the situation in the operating theatre on July 18-19, Neela said, "Over 100 patients, aged 14-25, came to the hospital, some covering one eye, others both. Metal pellets and bullets had pierced their eyes causing bleeding."

She added that many patients gave false names, phone numbers, and ID details out of fear of harassment or retaliation.

Md Edris, father of Maruf Hossain, a 12th grader killed in front of BRAC University in Badda on July 19 last year, testified that his son had left home with his maternal uncle to join a protest.

Hours later, the uncle called him to say BGB, police, and Awami League men were firing indiscriminately at protesters on Rampura bridge. Around 5:45pm, another call informed him that Maruf had been shot and was being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

On the way, AL activists, police, and BGB stopped the ambulance claiming that Maruf was already dead, even though he was still groaning in pain. A police officer even prodded his bullet wounds with a rifle. This delayed Maruf being taken to hospital by 15-20 minutes. He was declared dead within minutes of reaching the hospital, Edris said.

A video clip provided by Edris was screened at the tribunal, showing BGB officer Lt Col Redwanul Islam firing recklessly at protesters and severely wounded individuals being carried away by others.

Edris held Lt Col Redwanul, local AL activists, Hasina, ex-ministers Kamal and Obaidul Quader, former IGP Mamun, and local lawmaker Wakil Uddin responsible for his son's death.

Another witness, Amena Akter, a Noakhali Government College student who was injured during protests in Laxmipur on August 4, said when they brought out a procession, some 120-130 AL, Jubo League, and Chhatra League activists opened fire.

A student, Saad Al Affan, was hit and died instantly. The attackers then chased protesters, caught Amena and beat her severely.

In her testimony, Hasne Ara, mother of Abdur Razzak Rubel, who was killed in Cumilla's Debidwar upazila on August 4 last year, said her only son Rubel, a bus driver, was shot twice by AL supporter Salahuddin before others hacked him to death. At the time, Rubel's wife was eight months pregnant.

She said AL leader Mostafizur Rahman Sarkar offered Tk 7 lakh and two shops to dissuade her from filing a case, but she refused.