Most of 167 patients injured in uprising missing their skulls

Dr. Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Associate Professor at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, testified on Wednesday at International Crimes Tribunal-1 in a case on crimes against humanity during the people’s uprising, filed against Sheikh Hasina and two other individuals.

In his testimony, he said, “During the July people’s uprising, 167 seriously injured patients were admitted to the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka, and most of them were missing their skulls.”

Dr. Mahfuzur appeared as the 13th witness in the case. Besides Sheikh Hasina, the other two accused are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former Police Inspector General (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

He said, “In our hospital, 575 gunshot and pellet-injured patients were treated as outpatients and sent home. Many of them needed hospitalization, but due to lack of beds and the pressure of seriously injured patients, they were discharged. The 167 seriously injured were admitted; most of them had their skulls missing. Four of them were brought in dead, 29 died during treatment, and seven were sent to Thailand for advanced care.”

Dr. Mahfuzur said he personally performed 33 surgeries on the injured. “Many bullets and pellets were removed from the bodies of injured protesters. Some bullets and pellets were taken by the patients themselves. The investigating officers seized two pellets, one large bullet, and another round bullet as per the seizure list,” he added.

He also said in his testimony, “On July 19 last year, when the number of patients increased, officers from the police intelligence (DB) came and pressured us not to admit new gunshot victims. They said, ‘Don’t be overenthusiastic, you will be in danger.’ They also instructed that those already admitted should not be released and legal action will be taken against them. So, we secretly altered the admission registers, listing injuries as road accidents or other causes instead of gunshot wounds.”

Dr. Mahfuzur further said, “The main orchestrator of these crimes against humanity was Sheikh Hasina. The instructions were executed by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Obaidul Quader, and former State Minister for Information Arafat.”