Agartala, Jun 10 (UNI): After a month-long suffering in the hospitals here, a Bangladeshi couple has returned home safely on Thursday with the help of MP of West Tripura Pratima Bhowmik.
Sandhya Rani Daschowdhury (36) of Muktarpur in Sunamganj district of Syllet was tested Covid positive on May 4 last at MBB airport here on her return travel to Bangladesh from Chennai with his husband Karunasindhu Chowdhury. He is diabetic and a blood cancer patient, and has been treated in Chennai and as a result, they are frequent fliers from here like many Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment in India.
“We the people of Bangladesh prefer to opt flight for any Indian city from Agartala because it is cost-effective instead of boarding international flights. It takes a maximum of 3-5 hours to reach Agartala airport from any part of Bangladesh crossing the border via Akhaura and for last two years I have been traveling to Chennai for my treatment via Agartala but never faced such a critical situation like this time,” Karunasindhu told media.
After being tested Covid positive, she was separated from her husband and shifted to a Covid Care Centre. The ailing Karunasindhu was kept outside in the centre but provided food from the government. However, adequate care and attention were lacking. As a result, his condition had deteriorated and he was shifted to a private hospital where he had also tested positive.
Two weeks after recovery, Sandhya also took shelter in the hospital lobby. The recovery of Karunasindhu was not satisfactory but the treatment bill had gone up to Rs 8 lakh in 12 days. Sandhya was connected by Covid War Room where a teacher called her to get the update of their health. She explained their helplessness to the War Room Coordinator Basanti Bhattacharjee and sought her help to get out of the hospital.
Bhattacharjee tried to help the couple and finally got in touch with Bhowmik, who immediately swung into action and negotiated with the hospital authority and shifted Karunasindhu to Agartala Government Medical College.
“With the intervention of the MP, the hospital bill was reduced to half and the patient was released. The foreign nationals have managed the money from their family and paid for the hospital later. Meanwhile, the condition of patients has improved in the medical college with the active support of the doctors and staff. The MP undertook steps with the top level for their hassle-free return, as people movement between India and Bangladesh was stopped due to Covid,” Bhattacharjee said.
