Awami League activist Abdus Salam Sardar (50), son of deceased Kalachan Sardar of Purba Bakai area of Gournadi Upazila of Barishal, who lost his eye in the grenade attack on August 21, is still haunted by the painful memories of that day.
Awami League worker Salam Sardar told Barta24.com, I used to live in Dhaka's Mirpur for work. Sometimes I was a car helper and sometimes a supervisor. Being associated with Awami League politics, I used to attend various meetings of Awami League during work.
On the day of the incident, on the afternoon of August 21, 2004, I went to the Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue with a procession. A sudden loud noise shook the gathering place. In the meantime, it was as if a fly came to my (Salam) left eye and ankle, and the wash came out. At that time I was unconscious. Later some people took me to my home.
He said, after that my wife and nephew could not get me admitted even after going to different hospitals. At one point, I was admitted and treated at Shyamoli Golden Hospital that night. After a long treatment I recovered but my left eye was damaged. Later, after the Awami League government came to power in 2008, I applied for help in various departments for my treatment, but till date I have not received any help.
He also said that he left Dhaka in 2012 and moved to his own area. Currently my other eye is on the verge of going blind due to lack of treatment. Salam sought the intervention of Barishal district Awami League president Abul Hasanat Abdullah MP and Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who was injured in the grenade attack, for his medical treatment.
Awami League activist Salam's wife Rashida Begum told Barta24.com that on that day, two unknown people brought my husband home in a serious condition. After that I went to 4/5 hospitals to get him admitted. But Awami League workers and those injured in the grenade attack did not take admission in any hospital. Later, I got my husband admitted to a hospital in Shyamli and got him treated. But even after almost 19 years of the incident, I have not received any help in this matter till date. She demanded strict punishment against those involved in the incident.
In this regard, Gourandi Upazila Swechchasebak League Vice President Pradeep Kumar Dutta told Barta24.com that Awami League worker Salam Sardar was seriously injured in the grenade attack by BNP-Jamaat terrorists that day. After that he took treatment for a long time. Salam appealed to the Prime Minister for better treatment. But it is not known whether he got any help.