Suraiya on her mother’s lap, finally

The newborn baby, who received bullet injuries while in her mother’s womb during a Jubo League factional clash in Magura, has been finally handed over to her mother today after 25 days of her birth.

The baby, Suraiya, was undergoing treatment at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Dr Kaniz Hasina of the paediatrics surgery department in the hospital handed over Suraiya to her mother Nazma Khatun around 1:00pm.

“Alhamdulillah...I am very happy today with my baby on my lap,” the mother told reporters after receiving the baby.

“I did not expect to get the baby back alive. But, I got her back now,” she said.

Dr Kaniz said it was a matter of satisfaction that they could finally hand the baby over to her mother.

The mother and baby are now out of danger, but there are risks of infection for the baby due to her low birth weight, she added. 

“We will observe her for three or four more days and then decide on discharging them,” Dr Kaniz told The Daily Star.

Earlier on July 23, eight-month pregnant Nazma was shot in her abdomen during an attack by a faction of Magura Jubo League on their rival faction in Doarpar area of Magura town. The attack also left one killed.

A bullet pierced through the unborn baby's right shoulder and also injured her right eye.

Miraculously, the baby survived after being delivered following a two-hour caesarean on her mother at Magura General Hospital. Nazma Khatun also survived the accident.

The baby was sent to the DMCH on July 26 without her mother as her condition was critical. Responding to doctors' advice Nazma was brought to the DMCH on July 30 from Magura General Hospital to breastfeed her baby as the newborn needed it the most to survive.

Her mother visited Suraiya time to time to breastfeed her, but had no chance to keep the baby with her as she was prone to infection.