Rajib not out of danger

College student Rajib Hossain, who lost his right hand in a road mishap in the city three days ago, was not out of danger yet, doctors said yesterday.

“Apart from the hand, he sustained injuries in his head. He had brain haemorrhages…. We will say he is in danger until it is resolved,” Dr Khan Abul Kalam Azad, principal of Dhaka Medical College, told reporters.

Meanwhile, the government has announced that it will bear all the treatment expenses of Rajib, a third-year honours student at Government Titumir College, and pledged to get him a job after his recovery.

The 22-year-old student lost his hand as it was sandwiched between two speeding buses racing to overtake each other in the capital's Banglamotor area on Tuesday.

Profusely bleeding, he was taken to MH Samorita Hospital on Panthapath and was later shifted to the intensive care unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. A seven-member medical board has been looking after his treatment.

Talking to journalists after visiting Rajib at the DMCH, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim yesterday said the victim is a meritorious student and an “orphan”. “We will try to get him a job after his recovery.”

He said the government would bear all the medical expenses of Rajib, including Tk 1.26 lakh, the balance amount of the private hospital's bill.

Before moving to DMCH, Rajib's family paid Tk 35,000 to MH Samorita Hospital and signed a bond that the rest of the bill amount would be paid later.

Nasim said if possible doctors would try to replace his hand after his recovery. The bus owners, as per a High Court directive, would have to pay compensation to the victim, he added. 

The HC on Wednesday directed the owners of the two buses to bear Rajib's medical expenses.

In response to a writ petition, the HC also issued a rule asking the government and the bus owners to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to give Rajib Tk 1 crore in compensation.

Eldest among three brothers, Rajib lost his mother around a decade ago and father eight years ago. He worked at a computer shop in the city's Dholaipar area to meet his educational expenses.

His brothers Mehedi Hasan, 13, and Abdullah, 11, live in an orphanage in Mir Hazirbagh of Jatrabari. He lives in a student's mess near the orphanage.

The college student recently enrolled in a three-month training course on graphic design  at the BASIS Institute of Technology and Management in Karwan   Bazar.

The mishap occurred at 1:30pm on Tuesday when he was on his way to the institute to attend a class.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, victim's uncle Jahidul Islam said they were facing uncertainty over Rajib's health as his condition deteriorated in the afternoon.

He sought blessings from the countrymen for his nephew's quick recovery.

BUS DRIVERS REMANDED

A Dhaka court yesterday placed two drivers of BRTC and Sajan Paribahan buses on two-day remand each in a case filed in connection with the road mishap.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Abdullah Al Masud passed the order after Aftab Ali, sub-inspector of Shahbagh Police Station, had produced drivers Wahid Ali, 35, and Sajan Paribahan Khorshed, 50, before it, seeking three-day remand for each of them.

CORRECTION

A photo caption on the first page of this newspaper yesterday read Rajib's arm had to be amputated after it got lodged between two buses at Banglamotor on Tuesday.  In fact, his hand got severed from elbow after it was sandwiched between two buses.