Aduri, the 11-year-old tortured domestic help, who was recovered from a city dustbin on September 23, returned to her mother on Saturday, following completion of her treatment.
Speaking at a press briefing, organised by the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), marking her farewell ceremony from the hospital, Aduri said, “When I became sick, and was unable to even stand on my legs, my employer just threw me out in the jungle (dustbin).” Aduri urged the media, “Please ensure punishment of my employer, who beat me with hot iron, cut my skin and throat with blades, and refused food to me, when I was hungry.”
She also said that she used to wash all clothes at the house, but, they just gave her back rotten foods and would often torture her for nothing. Aduri’s employer also burned her tongue with a hot iron stick, because of which she could not talk for a couple of months.
Aduri was admitted at DMCHon September 23, after she was rescued by an assistant sub-inspector of police, from a dustbin in the capital, in critical condition. Later, she was shifted to the One-Stop Crisis Centre of DMCH, on September 26.
After three-months’ intense efforts by a specialised medical board, which was formed for her treatment, Aduri has now recovered, and her weight now stands at 25 kg, which, at the time of her admission, was only 17 kg.
Following her rescue, Aduri’s uncle, Nazrul Islam, filed a case with Pallabi Police Station, against her employer, and police submitted a chargesheet against Aduri’s employer, Nowrin Jahan Nodi, and Nodi’s mother, Ishrat Jahan.
Shafia Begum, mother of Aduri, said that she has no words to express her feelings of getting her daughter back. With tear in her eyes, Shafia demanded exemplary punishment for the employers, so that no parent has to shed tears of desperation, after giving their child to work, only for food.
She asked everyone to extend their hands to help them, so that she can survive with her nine children, and fulfil the dream of Aduri to become a nurse or a police officer in the future, to save children like her from torture.
The DMCH authorities have also opened a bank account for Shafia Begum, so that people can send help for Aduri. The savings account number is 25605 at Janata Bank’s DMCH branch.
Addressing the press briefing, Mostafizur Rahman, director of DMCH, said they are very happy, as they have been able to hand over Aduri to her parents, after making her recover. “At the time of her admission, Aduri was very sick, but our specialised doctors were able to revive her condition, with their best efforts, and now she can even dance, although she was unable to stand at the time of her admission.”
Asked about Aduri’s mental condition, he said, “We have successful in making her recover fully, but she’s still suffering from some mental trauma. However, this should be cured as she grows up, and if any problem is still there, we will again provide all possible support. For this reason, we have also given them our phone numbers.”
-With The Independent input
