Six-year-old bubbly Maruf, who became paralysed after bricks falling from an under-construction building damaged his skull, finally came round and can frolic again with his playmates.
It became possible as some generous expatriate youths from the US extended their helping hands for orphan Maruf's treatment after reading a report on his cruel twist of fate in The Daily Star.
Earlier on January 24, bricks fell on three slum boys including Maruf from an under-construction building at East Rampura in the city. One of the boys was killed on the spot, while Maruf's skull was badly damaged.
Maruf was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he could neither speak nor move his limbs.
Tears were rolling down his cheeks and his lips were stirring to make sound in vain when this correspondent visited him. His poor elderly grandparents kept a constant vigil at his bedside in rotation.
However, during a visit to their slum recently, Maruf was found playing with some other children in front of their shanty.
His grandmother Hasina Begum said, "Maruf had undergone surgical operation at the hospital [DMCH] and was treated at Centre for Rehabilitation for Paralysed [CRP] in Savar for around a month. Though he was released and now can play and run, he is facing some impediments in articulating words and moving his right hand fingers."
She said he fumbles a few words, which most of the times are hard to realise. He is also fed by others as he cannot use his right hand fingers well.
"The doctors [at CRP] advised us to let him play with his friends to remove impediment in speaking," she said, adding, they also advised Maruf to do some exercise with balls using his right hand.
Maruf's grandfather Rustom Ali, a rickshaw-puller, said, "When my grandson was at CRP, he looked well. But he has gradually become sick and often feels feverish at home as I cannot provide him with the nutritious food he needs at this moment."
The Daily Star on February 9 ran the report on paralysed Maruf, who had been left on a DMCH bed almost uncared for.
The authorities took prompt steps the next day and completed his surgical operation. After a few days he was shifted to CRP where he was treated almost free of cost.
The report also drew attention of expatriate engineer Abdullah-al-Mamun of Eagan in Minnesota who sent Tk 20,000 through his younger brother Minhajur Rahman for Maruf.
Minhajur said his elder brother collected another Tk 21,000 from his friends living in the US for the boy.
"The tragic accident of the orphan boy moved me greatly. I along with my friends here will try that he is well provided for," Minhajur quoted Mamun as saying.
Maruf is a posthumous child of his father. His maternal grandparents married his mother off again after she stopped breastfeeding him. Since then, he was brought up by his grandparents.
At the construction site where Maruf suffered the injury, the extension work of a five-storey building was going on.
Though next to the building stands a densely populated slum, the owner set no safety net even after such an accident.
According to the Bangladesh National Building Code, the authorities concerned must ensure safety measures around the construction site.
Source : The Daily Star
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