Doctor testifies: protesters suffered severe head injuries during July uprising

A physician from the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 today that many of the injured demonstrators admitted during last year’s July protests had lost portions of their skulls.

According to his testimony, a total of 167 protesters were admitted to the hospital, while in total 575 people with gunshot injuries came seeking treatment. “We admitted 167, but we could not take in everyone because of the overwhelming number of patients. Four individuals were brought in dead, and another 29 passed away while under treatment,” said Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, who was on duty at the time.

He explained that he and his medical team performed 33 surgical operations to remove bullets and pellets from protesters’ bodies, many of whom had suffered devastating head wounds.

The doctor also stated that on 19 July last year, members of the Detective Branch (DB) pressured hospital staff not to admit or provide treatment to those injured in the protests. “We were warned not to release admitted patients and told there were orders from higher authorities. They cautioned us that legal consequences could follow,” he told the tribunal.

He further revealed that medical staff had been forced to falsify hospital records, often listing road accidents instead of gunshot injuries, in order to continue treating severely wounded students without drawing official attention.

Dr Rahman demanded the death penalty for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, ex–road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former state minister for information Arafat, and police officials accused of implementing their directives.

So far, 14 witnesses have testified in the tribunal proceedings against Sheikh Hasina and her top aides, who face allegations of crimes against humanity during the July uprising.