Burnt Feni madrassa girl undergoes surgery on life support

Feni, Apr 9 (UNB) – A surgery on Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) after being set on fire, was carried out on Tuesday keeping her under life support.

After the two-hour operation, her brother said her sister’s condition was a bit better.

Dr Abul Kalam, chief of the medical broad formed by the DMCH for Rafi’s treatment and head of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said after discussion with the physicians from Singapore General Hospital, they decided to conduct the surgery.

The victim who suffered 80 percent burns has been kept under life support at the burn unit since 11:30am on Monday.

After holding a videoconference with the doctors of the Singapore hospital in the morning, Coordinator of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Dr Samanta Lal Sen said Rafi’s physical condition was not fit enough to move her to Singapore.

On Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed for sending Rafi to Singapore for better treatment.

Meanwhile, Feni police arrested a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, Shampa, over setting fire on Rafi, said Superintendent of Police SM Jahangir Alam Sarkar.

He said the Alim student was arrested as the victim told her doctors that during the arson attack, she heard that someone was saying, “Shampa let’s go”.

On Monday, in a declaration, Rafi told her doctors that four students wearing burqas and hand socks set her on fire. She identified one of them as Shampa.

With this, 10 people have so far been arrested in this connection, the SP said, adding that security has been beefed up in and around the victim’s house.

Meanwhile, a court in Feni granted a five-day remand for four people — Nur Hossain, Kefayet Ullah, Md Alauddin and Shahidul Islam -– who were arrested in case filed over the incident.

The case was filed accusing eight identified people, including madrasa principal Sirajuddoula, lecturer of English Absar Uddin, Feni municipality councillor Maksudul Alam Maksud, and four unidentified ones.

On Saturday, Rafi was set afire allegedly by students loyal to Principal Sirajuddoula after he was arrested and subsequently suspended as Rafi had accused him of sexually harassing her.

The madrasa has been shut down until April 17 after the incident grabbed the headlines and sparked outrage across Bangladesh.