Living with 7 bullets: Sujon’s months of excruciating pain

It has been three months since Khaled Mahmud Sujon, a 25-year-old from Lakshmipur, was shot while participating in an Anti-discrimination Student Movement on 4 August. 

To this day, seven bullets remain lodged in his body, causing excruciating pain and leaving him paralysed on the left side. 

Once the sole breadwinner for his family, Sujon now relies on others for basic mobility, facing a dire reality as his family falls deeper into poverty and uncertainty.

Sujon's family consists of his mother, his father and an older brother – both with mental health issues– and one younger sibling. 

Since Sujon's injury, their struggles have only intensified, with no means of steady income to support his treatment or their daily needs. 

Surviving with seven bullets

Upon visiting Sujon's home, a grim reality unfolds. 

Seven bullets still rest in various parts of his body: one in his neck, two in his chest, three in his right arm, and one below his ear. 

Only two of the original nine bullets have been removed. 

Doctors have informed the family that removing the remaining bullets in Bangladesh is impossible and may require treatment abroad.

"The bullets have left me unable to work or even move without help. I worry constantly about what will happen to my family," Sujon says.

Sujon with his father and older brother

A relative, Mubarak Hossain, recounts the extent of the family's struggles stating, "Sujon has no means to support the family or pay for his medical treatment. Now, even Sujon's younger brother, who is in 8th grade, may have to leave school."

Sujon remembers the day of the protest vividly. 

Drawn by posts on social media, he joined the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in the afternoon on 4 August near Madam Bridge in Lakshmipur. When the protest reached the home of the former upazila chairman, it turned tragic as bullets rained down from above. 

Sujon recalls, "AKM Salahuddin Tipu, the local Jubo League leader, and upazila chairman, fired directly from the rooftop. Hundreds were injured; I was hit nine times and collapsed immediately." 

Four protestors died that day, and hundreds, including Sujon, sustained injuries. 

Fellow protesters initially took Sujon to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital.

Relatives managed to transfer him from the hospital due to threats of further attacks by ruling party members. 

He was taken to a private hospital in Noakhali, but they couldn't admit him with bullet wounds. 

Only two of the original nine bullets have been removed

Finally, he was moved to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors removed a bullet from his liver. 

After 18 days there, Sujon was transferred to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), where surgeons extracted another bullet from his arm. 

Doctors at the CMH, however, informed the family they couldn't remove the remaining bullets and suggested he might need overseas medical care. 

Sujon was discharged from CMH after 30 days. 

Seven bullets still rest in various parts of his body: one in his neck, two in his chest, three in his right arm, and one below his ear.

A compounding struggle

Sujon's medical expenses have already surpassed Tk2 lakh, mostly covered by community donations. 

"I need money for both my family and treatment, but we have none left," he shares. 

With his father and brother unable to work, the family's youngest brother is now on the verge of dropping out of school.

Local doctor Zainal Abedin warns that the bullets in Sujon's body pose a constant risk. 

"If an infection sets in, it could be life-threatening. Sujon needs urgent medical intervention, potentially abroad," says Abedin.

A community at risk

The 4 August shooting affected many others in Sujon's neighbourhood. 

"Around 10 to 15 more people from our area were injured that day," Sujon recalls. 

Sujon had been the sole breadwinner for his family since he was in 9th grade. 

He has a small furniture business in Lakshmipur. 

He is currently enrolled in his first year of higher secondary education through the Bangladesh Open University.

Asked if he intends to take legal action, Sujon sighs. 

"Right now, my focus is on recovery and my family's survival," he says, expressing a wary outlook on pursuing a case.

"I've heard rumours of cases being manipulated," he adds. 

The police are investigating the protest shooting, confirms Lakshmipur's Superintendent of Police Md Akhtar Hossain. 

"Several arrests have been made, and we're pursuing the remaining suspects," he says. 

District Commissioner Rajib Kumar Sarkar stated that authorities are compiling a list of those killed or injured during the protests and assured that support will be extended to their families.

For now, Sujon remains bed-ridden, bearing a physical and emotional toll he did not anticipate. His path to recovery is uncertain, and each day brings new challenges for his family. 

As he reflects on the harrowing events of August, Sujon's gaze is filled with determination but also profound concern for his future, and most pressingly, for his family.