sajibchanda-blog

[sajibchanda-blog]

An assignment diary...

I’m a freelance Photojournalist. I do assignment for few national dailies based in Bangladesh. I also do work for some news photo agencies. I start practicing Journalism in 2008 when I was students of higher secondary school. It was UNICEF where I started my journey of journalism. After then I worked for some agencies. My dream as a photojournalist is covering war and conflict. I do cover many conflicts happened in Bangladesh. As I’m a lazy(!) person I upload a little amount of work on my flicker account. Here is my flicker account and it’s mix and mass up with various photographs;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hotochara/

I am going to share one of my memorable experiences as a photojournalist. It was 4 August 2008 just 2 days after my 27th birthday. Student of High school in Bangladesh are stand in the road and protest for a better road as well as road safety. In this time I was working for a news agency call Focus Bangla. I was appointed for covering the area of Mohammadpur, Shamoli and Asad Gate from 1st August to 3rd August.

In 4th August situation of this protest is gone critical. I was moved from Asad Gate to City College and Zigatola area. On one side of it were thousands of school and college students. On the other end, a small group of people belonging from front organizations of the ruling government party. Both groups were armed with stones and sticks, chasing each other intermittently. It’s about 2:30Pm. There I was capturing photographs with my Colleagues from different newspapers. Suddenly they started attacking on journalists. Then we journalists are moved on a safe position.

https://www.thedailystar.net/city/5-photojournalists-hurt-in-bcl-men-attack-science-lab-dhaka-student-protest-for-safe-roads-1616251

At the time of approximately 3.30; peoples from anti-protest are started gun fire on the Student activists and also journalist. They targeted Journalist who is capturing photographs and taking videos. I was in the middle of the road divider with one of my friend and colleagues Reyad. 

Photo: The Daily Star

Suddenly a bullet from short gun hit in my face. That my eyes what is affected. In that moment everything in front of my eyes are just white. I can’t see anything. That moment when its hits on me I was just thinking that I am going to die and I was impassible.  After few second I realize that I’m alive and I’m trying to escape from this place. I sought out for help. Then a young boy rescues me from that place and took me to emergency department of Popular Hospital.

They give me Fast aid and suggested me that to go a specialized eye hospital. The Injury of my eyes is very critical. I go out from there to find a good consultant for my eyes.

I’m praying and thinking that can I see again properly. My car is reaching at National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital and my tension is increasing...

After That

After That I was refused from another three hospital because of they are not agree to took the risk. They told me that it was looks like very deep injury and need to go for an eye hospital. After wasting two hours one of my cousins and two of my friend took me to National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital.

It’s almost 5.30 afternoons. They bring me to emergency and do a little surgery on upper side of my right eye. They told me that condition of my eye vision is looks like good. They stitch and do bandage, told me to come next day and consults with senior doctor.

The next day I went hospital and the doctor make some test and assure that the danger is gone and suggest me to take rest and come after 15 days. I was regularly taking medicine but it’s going wrong. I was consults with doctor for 4-5 times but the doctor says that it will be fine. After passing 18th day I decided to change doctor. I go for a private hospital and doctor told me to do a X-Ray and A MRI scan. She assumed that there is something is still inside my eye lid.

I immediately do an X-Ray and find that really something is still exist under my eye lid. Then I go for a MRI scan. I do every formality for MRI. Just couple of second before entering MRI machine I inform the technician that it could be a metal bullet.  As I know it might be very dangerous to having a metal something inside the body while doing MRI. Then they tested that it is a metal something then they suggest me to do a city scan. They I do it.

One of my eye bones was broken. Then doctor told me that who did the 1st surgery was not successfully done. It’s been 22-23 day delayed and my injured eye was having an infection.

Then after one month and four days the bullet was removed from my body doing second surgery and I was perfectly well after few days. I was very lucky that I am alive.

Removed Bullet 

Doctor says that ‘Boy you are lucky; you might be blind for the rest of your life. It might take your life. This is a miracle that nothing is happened with you. You have to say a thank you to god.’’

I wanted to share some tip for who starting photojournalism and do work in such kind of situation; here is a blog link that discuss about Survival Tips for The Aspiring Conflict Photographer.

https://blog.photoshelter.com/2013/08/survival-tips-for-the-aspiring-conflict-photographer/