Bangladesh to Send Uprising Victims to Pakistan for Treatment

The Bangladesh Ministry of Health has already sent 43 individuals injured during the July uprising abroad for medical treatment and is preparing to send 52 more, including 31 to Pakistan, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum said on Sunday.

Addressing the media at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, the adviser said more than 800 people have so far been listed as martyrs of the July uprising, while the list of injured includes over 14,000 individuals.

However, these numbers are still being updated as the verification of actual casualties and injuries is ongoing, Nurjahan said.

She added that each injured individual is being issued a health card, and they will receive lifelong free medical treatment.

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When asked why some would be sent to Pakistan for treatment, she explained that Pakistan is a war-affected country and has developed a specific medical technology for treating injuries caused by landmine explosions.

A group of doctors from the UK, who recently visited Bangladesh, recommended sending those who lost limbs to Lahore, she added.

Nurjahan said: “Apparently, there is a specialized hospital in Lahore that provides excellent treatment for such patients, according to the UK doctors. We are currently discussing the matter.”

She further noted that since the interim government came to power, 40 people have been sent abroad for advanced treatment. “Among them, 26 were sent to Bangkok, 13 to Singapore, and one to Russia. Of those, 26 have already returned to Bangladesh after completing their treatment.”

The health adviser emphasized that there has been no financial hesitation in covering treatment costs.

She highlighted the case of a child named Musa, injured in the uprising, whose treatment has so far cost over Tk6.5 crore.

To support the medical expenses of the injured, the chief adviser’s relief fund has allocated Tk25.37 crore, she added.

Out of that, approximately Tk19.30 crore has already been spent, according to Nurjahan.

“There has been no compromise in providing treatment,” she said. “The focus was on care, not cost.”

She admitted that the preparation of the list of injured and deceased is taking time but described it as a conscious decision.

“We do not want any fake names to be added to the list. Just like fake freedom fighters are still being caught, we are proceeding carefully based on that experience,” she explained.

Saidur Rahman, secretary of the Health Services Division, added that the lists are being compiled through district-level committees and that several applications are still being processed.

This news is sourced from Dhaka Tribune and is intended for informational purposes only.