One of the most fundamental pieces of information in reporting a mass casualty event, the death toll, became extremely difficult to obtain during the most violent and chaotic phase of the quota reform movement, i.e. July 16-21. A number of factors played into this.

The nature of the violence was such that it occurred over several days, but what made it really unique was that it was spread out over multiple locations - it was actually multiple crimes, or killings in different locations that you had to compile.

Since deaths usually have to be confirmed by a doctor, it is a common media practice to collect the information for mass casualty events from hospitals. The killings from July 16-21 were so numerous and occurring in so many locations, that it became difficult to trace them. The curfew and internet shutdown did not help matters. From different media reports, it was learned that more than 30 different hospitals treated patients or received dead bodies in capital Dhaka alone during the movement.

But while those could be overcome with time, what proved a bigger obstacle were strict instructions from the government not to reveal real numbers to the media.

Take the case of Better Life Hospital, located in East Rampura, near where a lot of the violence occurred, particularly on July 18th-19th. Witnesses said hundreds of the injured were taken to the hospital.

During an initial visit to the hospital on July 24, Shuvrajit Sarkar, an emergency doctor at Better Life Hospital, had said “No patient has died here. A few took treatment.”

However, the same hospital’s emergency nurse Prasenjit Madhu gave different information. He told UNB that they treated more than 1,000 injured. And they had confirmed 12 deaths, including those who were brought dead to the hospital.

This necessitated a second visit, around a week later.

On that day, Rajib Partha, another emergency doctor at Better Life, told UNB: "We have been given full instructions from the government not to talk to any press. The same instruction has been given from DB, NSI. People are coming to keep an eye on us. Even today, people have come from the SB (Special Branch Police). No information will be shared with the media. This is applicable to all private hospitals.”

The information centre of Farazi Hospital in Banasree, again close to a major site of the protests, said they could not provide any information. They asked to talk to the general manager about this, but General Manager Tanvir Alam could not be reached over the phone.

A doctor at Crescent Hospital in Uttara, who did not wish to be named, told UNB that he saw seven people died at the hospital on July 18 and two on July 19. No one was authorised to provide institutional data.

Public hospitals

The scenario was slightly different at the government hospitals. At Suhrawardy Hospital in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital, director Shafiur Rahman told UNB that 518 people were treated at his hospital from July 16 to July 20 during the quota movement.

A total of 65 patients had to be admitted. Major surgeries were performed on 30 patients and minor ones on 150 patients.

He said 13 people died before reaching the hospital.Most of the dead were students, and had gunshot wounds consistent with those inflicted by live ammunition.

He added that more patients are being admitted to the surgery ward. Complicated patients were referred to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).

The patients were being treated at the four-storey surgery ward of the hospital. Journalists were even allowed to visit the facility.

There we met Akash (25), who said he was walking in front of Mohammadpur bus stand when he was hit by multiple rubber bullets, and 13 pellets had to be extracted from the muscles under his spine.

Opposite him, Kawsar, an 11-year-old second grade student, was writhing in pain. He was playing with two to three friends in a mohalla in Abdullahpur, Uttara. Then all of a sudden, his kidneys burst open. At first, he was taken to the Bangladesh Kuwait Friendship Hospital, said Kawsar’s aunt, Sumi. From there he was transferred here.

"We were not protesting," Kawsar said.

Sumi, the aunt, said: “At first, they all ran away at the sound of a gunshot. We were also on the run. What was the reason for the shooting? The roads were empty. Why did the police shoot him?”

At the Kuwait Friendship Hospital, Superintendent Dr. Mizanur Rahman told UNB that a total of eight people died in their hospital, including seven on the 18th. Six of them were identified, the other two were unidentified. Their bodies were sent to the NICVD morgue.

Brigadier General Rezaul Karim, director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital (BSMMU), said: "No one has died here. 120 people were treated. There are currently 11 people admitted. Three of them were taken to the ICU. One person was put to bed on Tuesday (July 30).”

But the government’s own list of 150 deaths in the quota movement in July contained names who were confirmed to have died at BSMMU. When asked about this, the BSMMU director said, “Then we have to see again. It is not in the list sent to the Prime Minister.”

It became clear that although the government hospitals seemed to be more forthcoming with information, it was difficult to differentiate between reliable and unreliable information, given the strict instructions under which the hospitals were operating.

The Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, which led the protests, has provided a death toll of 266 for the July killings. In the media, Prothom Alo has come closest to matching that figure, confirming 210 deaths.

Now that the government that was standing as the biggest obstacle to uncovering the truth of the July massacres has been unceremoniously dumped, this work can start again with renewed vigour.