Baby Girl sold for Tk 37,000 to Cover Father's Hospital Bills

An infant was sold for Tk 37,000 to pay the hospital bills of a father who was shot and injured during the student-led mass uprising. The couple, Abdur Rashid and Rokeya Begum, were set to welcome their second daughter into the world when they went to the hospital for a checkup on August 4. Rashid, a day laborer with around Tk 450 daily income, took Rokeya to a safe spot while waiting for their appointment ticket. The area turned into a battlefield, with rubber bullets and pellets being shot from all directions. Rashid received first-aid at the hospital and returned home, unaware of the consequences of the injuries. He started to feel intolerable pain as infections started brewing around the wounds. Doctors recommended immediate surgery, which led to nine pellets being removed from his abdomen. However, the need for a second surgery surfaced during the operation as the pellets had damaged his urinal system. The couple's expenses skyrocketed due to their husband's joblessness and limited savings. About Tk 17,000 was spent on Rashid's treatment in the first two days of his admission, and the expenses of Rokeya's delivery further added to their distress. The baby girl was sold to a childless couple in Gaibandha, who paid Tk 25,000 when they gave her away on August 15. Locals urged the family to bring the baby girl back, but the family decided otherwise, as the infant was living a life ""much better than what Rashid and Rokeya could offer."" Despite sacrificing the thing most dear to them, Rokeya is still struggling to make ends meet as the doctor has recommended two more surgeries for Rashid by October. Until then, Rashid has to use urinal bags to keep his body operational. Rokeya has received Tk 5,000 from development organizations, but the amount is too little for Rashid's further treatment.