Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot in the capital’s Bijoynagar area on Friday, remains in critical condition while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, hospital authorities said on Saturday.
Doctors said the bullet caused severe damage to Hadi’s brain and also injured his lungs. He is currently being kept under conservative management, meaning no surgical intervention is being carried out at this stage, and remains under close observation in the intensive care unit.
Evercare Hospital has formed a 14-member medical board comprising specialists from various disciplines to oversee his treatment. The board is being led by Dr Md Zafar Iqbal, senior consultant of the hospital’s ICU and Critical Care Department.
Evercare Hospital Director (Medical Services) Dr Arif Mahmud that Hadi’s condition remains extremely critical.
“His condition is alarming. A medical board has been formed and treatment is continuing. At this moment, our priority is his medical care rather than media briefings,” he said, adding that Hadi’s family has been informed of his current condition.
Dr Arif Mahmud also said Hadi’s brother has expressed interest in taking him abroad for advanced treatment, and the hospital will provide full cooperation if the family decides to proceed.
In an official statement outlining the medical board’s observations, the hospital said Hadi’s brain has been “severely damaged.” He is being treated under a brain protection protocol, which involves specialised medical care aimed at preventing further neurological damage following stroke or traumatic brain injury.
The statement said a follow-up CT scan of the brain may be conducted once his physical condition becomes relatively stable.
Doctors also confirmed that Hadi sustained lung injuries. A chest drain tube has been placed, through which a small amount of blood is being discharged. Ventilator support will continue with maximum precautions to prevent lung infection and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), the statement said.
The medical board noted that Hadi’s kidney function has recovered and efforts are underway to maintain it through careful fluid balance management. Although he previously developed Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), a condition involving abnormal blood clotting and bleeding, the situation is now largely under control. Continuous monitoring is ongoing, and blood and blood components will be administered as required.
According to the medical board, Hadi’s condition remains highly sensitive due to an injury to the lower part of the brain, known as the brain stem. As a result, fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate have been observed. Blood pressure support will be continued, and doctors warned that his condition may change at any moment.
Hadi has been placed on mechanical ventilation. The medical team remains fully prepared to install a temporary pacemaker immediately if his heart rate drops to a dangerously low level.
Following a meeting of the medical board, it was decided that no new surgical procedures or medical interventions would be undertaken at this stage, and that treatment would continue on an observation-based approach.
The medical board expressed sincere gratitude to the doctors and support staff of Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s One-Stop Crisis Centre, Radiology, ICU, Anaesthesia, Neurosurgery and other relevant departments for their exceptional and humane contributions during the initial phase of treatment.
The board also urged the public to avoid crowding the hospital premises, refrain from spreading speculative or misleading information, and cooperate in maintaining the patient’s privacy and dignity.
Hadi was shot by assailants in the capital’s Bijoynagar area on Friday afternoon. He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Evercare Hospital in the evening, where he is currently receiving treatment.