Ziaur Rahman, a grocer from Ghonapara area in Bogura, initially enrolled his son Ratul in a madrasa, where he studied up to the fourth grade. Later, with hopes of Ratul becoming a doctor and serving humanity, Ziaur admitted him to Path Public School.
However, that dream was shattered on 5 August when the sixth grader was shot in the head. After 49 days of treatment, he passed away at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Agargaon, Dhaka, early Sunday morning.
The little one could not withstand the hundreds of bullet fragments lodged in his small body. On the afternoon of 5 August, he was shot while participating in a joyful rally in Bogura Sadar following the AL government ousting.
Ratul’s belongings – bed, pillow, clothes, school uniform, bag, and books – remain untouched at home, a haunting reminder of his absence.
His father, Ziaur Rahman, expressed his regrets about allowing Ratul to go out that day, saying, “I had warned him multiple times. On that day, I specifically told him not to leave the house, but he went anyway and was shot!”
After being rescued by a passerby, Ratul was taken to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. Ratul was taken to the fourth floor, where doctors found a bullet in his head using a CT scan.
They advised transferring him to Dhaka, where he was admitted to the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital that same night.
Despite the diligent care from doctors and support from the government, Ziaur Rahman lamented, “My child is no longer in this world. I cannot bring him back; that is my greatest sorrow.”
Ziaur described Ratul as a boy who loved playing football, riding bikes, and skating. He was a meritorious student who could remember everything he read.
After he stopped studying at the madrasa, Ziaur enrolled him in Path Public School, later envisioning him as a doctor to ensure no one dies due to lack of medical care. “But my son has left me in such a way that I am devastated,” he said.
Ratul’s brother-in-law, Abdur Rahman, said that after Ratul was admitted to the hospital, doctors told the family that his chances of recovery were low. They had considered taking him abroad for better treatment, although doctors could not guarantee that this would ensure his recovery.
“Ratul was in a coma for about a month and ten days. He woke up three days ago, spoke, and even ate. And now, he is gone!” Abdur Rahman added.
Despite this heartbreaking loss, he said that there was no negligence in Ratul’s medical care. “From the doctors to the coordinators in Dhaka, as well as the government and relatives, everyone supported Ratul’s treatment.”
