Violence By Blockaders In Ctg

Five-year-old Sumaiya Akhter Sadia was going to school yesterday morning when she was struck by splinter from a cocktail hurled from a procession of the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance activists, brought out to enforce its blockade, in Chittagong city's Akbar Shah Mazar area. The photo was taken at Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Like any other working morning, Jesmin Akhter Liza was accompanying her five-year-old kid, who was to sit for her final examination, to school around 8:30am yesterday.
But the little girl, Sumaiya Akhter Sadia, never reached school. Instead, she was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) with splinter wounds to the head.
Liza tried to save the two of them seeing an imminent danger but the bloodthirsty attackers would not let them go unhurt.
From their Signal Colony house, they rode a rickshaw to school, a 15-minute ride. In Akbar Shah Mazar area, they saw an oncoming procession of blockaders.
"Fearing attack, the rickshaw puller asked us to get down and stand by the road. We did so but suddenly a cocktail was hurled in front of us from the procession that exploded with a bang and my child screamed in pain," said Liza.
CMCH paediatrician Prof Dr Tahmina Banu said Sadia was out of danger but her wounds had to be stitched.
Liza's family members, hospital staff and doctors were all angry at the attack on the innocent kid.
"The government and the opposition parties are all safe. But we and our kids are the victims of their politics," said Omar Faruque Sumon, uncle of Sadia and a college teacher. "Why would we, the people, be the victims of their nasty politics?"
Meanwhile, a trucker sustained 15 percent burns to his body, as blockaders set his vehicle afire in Sitakunda upazila around 2:00am yesterday.

Yasin of Patiya upazila left the capital with his egg-laden truck for the port city Friday night but got stuck at Maynamoti for two days due to the opposition's blockade.
Upon a call from the company owner, Yasin started off from Comilla Sunday night. When he reached Battala of Sitakunda, some seven to eight picketers poured petrol on his vehicle keeping him inside and set it ablaze. Police rushed him to CMCH.
"Armed with lethal arms they first beat me up with stick. I told them I was an activist of Tableague Jamaat showing my beard," said Yasin. "But they set the truck afire with petrol and burnt my face and beard."
"I did not drive for more than one month due to hartal and unrest but I was forced to do so, as I am the loan bread earner of my family," said the father of three children. "How could a Muslim burn another Muslim's face with beard," Yasin said in tears.
Separately, Abdul Aziz, 50, an auto rickshaw driver, received 35 percent burns when blockaders hurled a petrol bomb at his vehicle in Battali area on Sunday morning. Dr Mishma Islam of CMCH burn unit said Abdul was not out of danger.