Siddiqur's Eyesight: Little hope of recovery

It is still uncertain whether Titumir college student Siddiqur Rahman, whose eyes were damaged in police action in Shahbagh on July 20, would ever get his eyesight back.

Doctors see little hope even if a surgery is conducted. On hearing that, Siddiqur broke down in tears, said his brother Nayeb Ali, who is with the victim undergoing treatment at Sankara Nethralaya in India's Chennai.

“The physicians left it up to Siddiqur to take a decision about the operation. Siddiqur said he would go for the surgery taking it as the last hope,” Nayeb told The Daily Star over phone last night.

Dr Lingam Gopal, a senior retina specialist, examined the 23-year-old yesterday.

National Institute of Ophthalmology (NIO) Assistant Professor Zahidul Ahsan Menon, who is also accompanying Siddiqur, declined to comment, saying he had sent a report on the doctor's observations on Siddiqur to the higher authorities.

Contacted, NIO Director Golam Mostafa said, “The doctor will do further assessments at the hospital today.” 

The victim was primarily examined by Dr Dhanshree Ratra of the same Indian hospital on Friday. She went through the case summary prepared by the NIO in Dhaka and referred him to Dr Lingam Gopal for a second opinion.

Meanwhile, a probe committee, formed to investigate the incident, has not submitted its report yet. Dhaka Metropolitan Police formed the body on July 23 to look into the police action on the students' protest, demanding announcement of their examination schedules.

Siddiqur's eyes were damaged after a policeman, as seen in a video footage, shot a teargas canister directly at the agitating students. Siddiqur collapsed on the street instantly.

Later, doctors at NIO said he could not see with his right eye. The left eye responded to light once or twice when the physicians removed the bandage on July 23.

The government is bearing Siddiqur's medical costs.

POLICE YET TO SUBMIT REPORT

The three-member probe committee, which was given three working days to complete their investigation, has not submitted its report yet. It is now seeking two more days for completing the job.

Mir Rezaul Alam, joint commissioner (operations) of the DMP, told The Daily Star, “We are taking statements from witnesses, on-duty policemen and doctors. We will submit our report based on our findings.”

Asked whether they were able to identify the policeman who fired the teargas canister, he said, “We are scrutinising everything. If he has any fault, it will be reflected in our report.”

Talking to a TV channel on July 25, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said they had several video clips of the incident and that the probe body was examining them.

Punitive actions would be taken if the probe body found any policeman guilty, he added.

A person could get injured if he or she was caught in the line of a fired teargas canister, he said, adding that canisters were usually fired at 45 degree angle.

“This is unexpected and saddening. Neither we nor the state can evade the responsibility,” he added.

Police earlier claimed Siddiqur was wounded when hit by objects thrown by the demonstrators.

The incident happened when students of seven colleges -- Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Mohila College, Mirpur Government Bangla College and Government Titumir College -- were demonstrating to press for their seven-point demand that included announcement of their exam dates.