<i>Poor boy burnt with hot water </i>
Physician fears losing one eye
Swapan Kumar Devshorma, 22, owner of a salon in Aditmari upazila sadar, entered a nearby tea stall and ordered the boy, Mohsin Ali, 12, to bring him a glass of hot water. As it was a chilly evening of December 21, Mohsin came late with the water. An angry Swapan soon went wild. He just poured the hot water right on Mohsin's head.
Eight days later, (Thursday), the parents of the victim felt compelled to admit him to Aditmari upazila health complex, as his burn wounds were intensifying.
"Mohsin has suffered burns in the head and the left eye. Having no proper care, his wounds have got infection. He needs proper treatment immediately. Or else, he may lose an eye", said Dr Mahfuzar Rahman, residential medical officer of the health complex.
“I have already advised Mohsin's parents to take their son to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for better treatment”, he added.
Mohsin, son of rickshaw-van puller Osman Ali of Malipara village of the upazila, has been working at the tea stall of Hamizar Rahman at Burirbazar for the last three years.
“I read in class-II at Malipara Primary School. I wanted to study, but my poor parents couldn't afford. So, I had to work as a day labourer at the tea stall. I get a daily wage of Tk 40 and give it to my parents to maintain livelihood”, Mohsin said.
Early Tuesday (December 27), Mohsin's wounds worsened further, forcing his parents to take him to a clinic in Lalmonirhat town. Osman, however, brought his son back home after some locals told him that they would fine Swapan in arbitration so that they can treat the boy with the money.
Osman said, “A village arbitration was called in my house on December 27 night where local Union Parishad member Unus Ali, Burirbazar leaseholder Ibrahim Miah, tea stall owner Hafizar Rahman and Swapan Kumar and his relatives were present. In the arbitration, Swapan was fined Tk 25,000 to be given by December 30”.
Before paying the fine, Swapan was arrested on Thursday night after Osman lodged a case with Aditmari Police Station on the very night. Aditmari OC HM Mahfuzur Rahman said police arrested Swapan and will soon prepare a charge sheet.
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