by Md Mamun Islam

RANGPUR, Oct 15, 2024 (BSS) – Bullet-hit van cart puller Omar Faruk, 35, who even three months ago was working hard as the sole earner of his family, is now under the grip of extreme financial hardship.   

"All my dreams were shattered when a bullet shot by police pierced my body during the anti-discrimination student movement on July 18," said injured Omar, who had to undergo a complicated surgery and somehow returned from the brink of death.

Omar, the second among four brothers and two sisters in the family, hailed from Sheikhpara village in Ward No. 31 of Rangpur City Corporation, lives at his father-in-law’s house in the same village.

Before the tragedy struck his life, Omar supported his family of 11 by selling Napier grass every day, from rural areas to Rangpur city, in his van cart.

While giving an exclusive interview to BSS, Omar described the tragic incident of the day and said unable to bear the treatment costs, his family fell into extreme poverty.  

Omar now passes difficult days on bed with physical pain due to complex surgery and having a colostomy bag attached to his body externally to artificially release stool until the next surgery.

He will have to undergo another major surgery at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RpMCH) four months later, with a hope to recover fully and support his family.

Omar lives in his in-laws house with his father Khalilur Rahman, 60, wife Zohra Begum, 27, and two minor children. 

Day-labourer father-in-law Joydul Islam, 55, with his son Russel, 22, and daughter Pervin Begum, 36, with her two children also live in the joint family.

“Earlier, my day-labourer father supported the family of 11 working as a laborer. But, due to old age, he is unable to walk and work now,” Omar said.

In an emotion-choked voice, Omar said the incident has shattered his life and he don’t have any money to support his family. 

“Earlier, my day-laborer father-in-law Joydul Islam earned by selling labor to support our joint family, but he can’t earn now as he has almost no work in crop fields,” he said.

Omar said that after the martyrdom of Shaheed Abu Sayeed at Begum Rokeya University on July 16, when the anti-discrimination student movement reached its peak, he went out with his van cart like every other day on July 18.

“But in the afternoon while repairing my van cart at the maker's shop at Fatema Cold Storage adjacent to Modern Mour area in the city, I got shot by police,” he said.

“I could feel that the bullet entered through my belly and exited through the backside. As I was bleeding profusely I feel down on the floor. I can't remember anything else,” he said.

"After regaining consciousness I found myself in the RpMCH surgery ward," he said, adding that he saw many other wounded people, who were also injured in police firing, undergoing treatment there.

“Later, I came to know that Associate Professor of the Department of Surgery at RpMCH Dr Md Abdul Baset, other doctors, students, nurses and employees extended their full cooperation  and performed a complicated surgery to save my life,” he said.

Omar said he still remembers the sweet moments of meeting Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus when he came to RpMCH on August 10. The Chief Adviser talked to his doctor Dr Md Abdul Baset and enquired about his health conditions.
 
However, Omar lamented with sorrow that he had to sell all his possessions and borrow money for his treatment. 
 
Talking to BSS, RpMCH Associate Professor Dr Md Abdul Baset narrated about the health condition and next surgery of Omar.

He said that if Omar was brought to the hospital more than an hour later, it would not have been possible to save him due to excessive bleeding.

“I will conduct another surgery of Omar at RpMCH after four months. I’m firmly hopeful that he will be fully cured by the grace of Almighty Allah and begin a normal life after a few months of his second surgery,” he said.

Talking to BSS at her home, Omar’s wife Zohra Begum said that they have a joint family of 11, including her father-in-law, husband, two children, and her father, a brother and a sister with her two children.

“We survived mainly on my husband's income as he earned Taka 30,000 to Taka 35,000 per month on an average by selling Napier grass in his van cart in Rangpur city,” she said.

“Despite financial hardship, we were doing well until July 18. My son Junayed Hasan is a class-one student of a local Kindergarten School and daughter Fahmida is only two and half years old,” she said.

“After my husband was shot by police, the students admitted him to the hospital. A major surgery was performed on him. We have already spent Taka 1.70 lakh in addition with the help of doctors, students, nurses and staff of the hospital,” she said.

Her husband will have to be operated again after a few months. She doesn’t know how her family will survive as she is heavily in debt.

“I don’t know what will happen to us and to my son's education…,” said Zohra.

Omar’s wife urged the government to provide financial assistance until her husband fully recovers.

She said the Jamaat-e-Islami has given Taka 10,000, Sajida Foundation Taka 15,000, As-Sunnah Foundation Taka 10,000, two Madrasa students Taka 10,000 and one Engineer Habibur Rahman Khan Taka 5,000 so far as medical expenses.

“We took Taka 1.80 lakh as loan from Brac in my name and my sister Pervin Begum’s name earlier this year. We had to pay Taka 19,000 as a monthly installment,” she said.

The couple bought the van cart at Taka 80,000 and a heifer at Taka 40,000 with the Brac loan money when Omar began selling Napier grass using the van cart some seven months ago.

“To meet the treatment expenses of my husband, I had to sell the rickshaw van at only Taka 30,000 and the cow at Taka 44,000 in the time of urgent need. Besides, we had to borrow money from others,” Zohra said. 

She asked the Brac authorities and the interim government to waive their debts considering their miserable condition.