Soaked in blood: Ambulance drivers recount horrors of transporting patients during July uprising
In the absence of sufficient emergency vehicles in Dhaka city, dead bodies and the wounded were transported through rickshaws, vans, and CNG-driven auto rickshaws. But ambulance drivers also played a role in various locations near DMCH and battlegrounds like Jatrabari and Rayerbag
In late July, when a gunshot patient needed urgent transport, ambulance driver Masum Hossain picked him up from the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and headed for National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR).
"However, when we reached Asad Gate, a group of Chhatra League and Jubo League activists stopped the vehicle," Masum said.
They asked Masum what sort of ailment the patient was suffering from. When they saw it was a gunshot victim, they charged him, angry that he was carrying a wounded protester.
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"The man was dying inside, and they were charging me why I was taking him to hospital. I said this man is dying, shouldn't I save his life? Yet they wouldn't allow me to take him to hospital," Masum said.
Some police officers appeared on the spot. Masum pleaded with them to let his vehicle go. After some deliberation, the police allowed him to take the patient to the hospital.
"I also took the body of a victim killed during the protests to Kishoreganj. The protesters stopped us on the way, but they allowed us to pass through," he said. "I didn't have any security whatsoever as I drove through the empty streets. There were no police, no people. Only ambulances were on the street and no other cars. The roads were on fire and we went through this."
Masum Hossain was describing his experiences during the mass uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina, but also saw the murder of around a thousand Bangladeshis by police, RAB, BGB, Jubo League, and Chhatra League.
Ambulances were shot at too. But I didn't get scared. I was not born during 1971. I have seen many types of violence, but not like this. I carried victims with gunshots to the eye. My hands, my feet, my entire body were soaked in blood.
In the absence of sufficient emergency vehicles, in Dhaka city, dead bodies and the wounded were transported through rickshaws, vans, and CNG-driven auto rickshaws. But ambulance drivers also played a role in various locations near DMCH and battlegrounds like Jatrabari, Rayerbag, etc.
"On 5 August, the situation in this area [DMCH and its surroundings] was serious. Students were coming from Chankharpool. When they reached this area, police started shooting them from the Shahid Minar. Students at that point entered the hospital to save their lives. They shot people in front of us," Masum recounted.
Mohammad Shafiq, another driver, added, "They didn't indiscriminate. They shot kids on the roof; there was no certainty about who they would shoot back then."
Haji Sirajul Islam Khokon, an elderly ambulance driver, was carrying a patient from the Jatrabari area one day during the protests.
"A bullet whizzed past my chest. My vehicle's door was open. It just happened in the blink of an eye," he said. "I have never experienced such a thing in my life. I was trembling in fear and shock."
Mohammad Akash was in the Rayerbag area on 4 August.
He was transporting three students, all gunshot victims, at a time. Some were shot in the eyes, some in the chest.
"My car was bathing in blood. My stretcher was full of blood. I washed the blood and raced again to go back. I saw many gunshot victims there," Akash said.
Mohammad Shafiq said they did not care about money or their lives.
Akash said he did not take money from anyone because, "Everyone was there to free our country."
Another ambulance driver Illius took a female dead body — with a headshot wound — to Dhamrai. He also transported another dead body of a student who was shot dead to Barishal on 4 August.
He said he had never seen anything like this in his life.
"I felt terrible about how they were shooting and killing people. They even shot people inside our Dhaka Medical [DMCH] too. I am an ambulance driver and I am used to carrying dead bodies. But it felt different this time. But what can we do? This is my profession," Illius said.
The situation was very dangerous, Akash described, terming it "a complete warzone".
"Ambulances were shot at too. But I didn't get scared. I was not born during 1971. I have seen many types of violence, but not like this. I carried victims with gunshots to the eye. My hands, my feet, my entire body was soaked in blood," Akash added.
