Hope renewed for Huraira: Govt promises foreign treatment for 6th grader living with bullet

It's been four months since 14-year-old Abu Huraira was brought to hospital with a bullet lodged in his stomach.

Since then, he has remained bedridden. Doctors have informed his family that treatment in Bangladesh is impossible. 

"It is better to die than lie in bed all my life amid this uncertainty," Huraira told TBS yesterday from his bed in the capital's Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital.

On 19 July, Huraira was on his way home from Asr prayers with his father Jahirul Islam, 60, an employee of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. 

"I saw a crowd of people, so I stopped to look," Huraira, a sixth grade student of Glory International School, recalls.

Suddenly, he heard a shot ring out. 

Unknown to him at the time, Huraira was caught amid clashes between students and law enforcers at Mirpur-13. 

Before he could even duck, Huraira said, he felt something pierce his belly. 

That's all he remembers.

Huraira was rushed to a nearby hospital, but they refused to admit him. 

Then he was taken to another private hospital, which also refused to treat him.

Finally, he was taken to the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, where he was admitted. 

After nearly three months of treatment, he was transferred to the General Surgery Department of the BSMMU on 17 October. 

Maria, his sister, remembers the horror of being refused admission to different hospitals.

"Doctors say that he had a 9mm rifle bullet wedged in his liver. The bullet is still in his body as the treatment to remove it is not available in Bangladesh."

Maria also counts her blessings.

"Thank God that Huraira is alive, despite the physical difficulties he is facing. Doctors have suggested taking him to Thailand or Singapore immediately," she says.

There is renewed hope for treatment now, Maria says, following a chance encounter. 

Lucks smiled on her a few days ago when she ran into Information Adviser Nahid Islam at the hospital, who took an interest in Huraira's predicament. 

"We had been bearing the treatment here in the hospital. But a few days ago I met Nahid bhai and he said the government would bear the costs. Since then, we have not had any medical expenses." 

Two days ago, the adviser's personal assistant also inquired about Huraira's treatment and assured the boy would be taken abroad soon.

Huraira is currently undergoing treatment under Dr Ibrahim Siddiqui, who  did not comment on the matter citing a busy schedule.

During an address on Sunday, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said around 1,500 students and workers were martyred during the mass uprising in July. 

He also said around 19,931 people were injured. 

He said arrangements for the treatment of the injured had already been made in various specialised hospitals. 

Earlier on the same day, critically injured Mohammad Kajol Mia was flown to Thailand's Vejthani Hospital for advanced treatment under the initiative of the interim government.