On Friday night, two BCL groups-- one loyal to a former mayor and another loyal to a junior minister--locked in a clash at CMCH In a sequel to which, they engaged in more clashes on Saturday morning.

At one point in a chase on Saturday, one of the rival group BCL members crushed one Akib’s head allegedly with a hockey stick. 

Since then Akib’s limp body remained lying unconsciously in the ICU room of the hospital.

Akib,  a meritorious student from Cumilla, passed SSC from Cumilla Zila School and HSC from Notre Dame College Dhaka both with flying colours and later got admitted to CMCH with the dream of becoming a doctor.

READ: 16 injured in BCL factional clash at CMCH 

But his political admiration for the ruling party’s Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel has sent him to a hospital bed after BCL members following former Chattogram mayor AJM Nasir Uddin thrashed him.

Doctors at CMCH said the severity of his brain injury may take a long time to heal and expressed concern about his movement becoming normal even after regaining consciousness. 

Akib was first rushed to the one stop centre of the hospital and later received primary treatments at Neurosurgery ward-28 of CMCH. 

After that, he underwent surgery exceeding three hours under a five-member expert medical team led by Professor Dr Noman Khaled Chowdhury, head of the Neurosurgery department of CMCH. 

Dr Noman Khaled Chowdhury said Akib’s operation has been successful but his skull has been fractured and he has sustained a severe brain injury. 

“As the injuries are very ghastly, we won't be able to comment on his improvement right now but we are hopeful,” he said. 

Dr AMM Minhazur Rahman, Organizational secretary of Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad (SWACHIP) said a medical board has been formed for Akib’s treatment. 

“Blood clots in his brain have been removed through surgery but his condition is not out of danger and is currently kept in ventilator support,” he said.

Apart from Akib, Mahfuzul Haque, 23, Naimul Islam, 20, and two other students of the medical college sustained injuries during the internal feud. 

A case has been filed in this regard accusing 16 people. They are Saad Mohammad Galib, 21, Ahsanul Kabir Ruman, 21, Zhidul Islam Zishan, 21, MahadiBin Hashim, 24, Asif Bin Taki,25, Imtiaz Uddin Chowdhury,21, Mahtab Uddin Rafi,21, Zahidul Alam Zishan, 21, Sourabh Bepari,21, Md Anis,21, Raktim Dey,21, HM Ashab Uddin,21, Tanvir Islam,21, Nazmus Sadat Asif,21, Enamul Hasan Shimanto,21, and Rizwan Ahmed,21.

The incident forced the medical college authority to close the institution for an indefinite period from Saturday. 

A five-member probe committee, led by Dr Motiur Rahman, was formed to look into the incident.

The probe body was asked to submit a report within the next seven working days.