The injured survivors of the Old Dhaka inferno have to suffer for long as major portions of their bodies were seriously burned in the flames.

They are fighting with the injuries in hospital beds to survive. But some of them may become physically disabled, while some may face other complexities.

Some of the survivors got their vital organs damaged in the devastating blaze that engulfed eight residential buildings and shops in Nimtoli onThursday night, killing 117 people.

" It would take six to one year for the victims to get back to their normal life,” said Dr Samantalal Sen, project director of the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

"I cannot say it for sure right now. But we

fear some of them may have to lead lives with physical disabilities," Dr Sen told reporters.

"Lives of many victims may turn out to be unbearable," he feared.

He said condition of two victims at the unit was very critical, while four to five victims were in little bit crucial situation.

Twenty-five survivors of Nimtoli tragedy are now receiving treatment at the burn unit. Seventeen males have been kept at the postoperative ward, while a 14-year girl is being given treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the women at a separate ward on the fifth floor.

"Though condition of many is still critical, we are trying our best to provide them with proper care," said Dr Mohammad Jahangir Kabir, associate professor and department head of Anaesthesia and Burn, ICU.

Currently, some 260 patients are receiving

treatment at the 50-bed bum unit, which means it is struggling to provide services to patients five times higher than its capacity.

Some 60 doctors and nurses have been deployed to manage the excessive pressure, said Dr Sen.

Sunny, a teenage lying on a bed at the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit, was groaning in pain. Major portion of his legs, hands and face were burned in the fire.

Asked about another victim Mamun's condition, the doctor said, "He [Mamun] is out of danger, but it would take at least six months for him to get back to normal life."

Shabana, 35, was undergoing treatment at the bum unit and was groaning in pain. She lost her mother, grandmother and elder daughter in the fire. Her father is admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) as his condition is stated to be grave.

Relatives have not told Shabana about the tragedy of the family, as she might not be able to bear it.

"It was so dreadful that I thought the dooms day has come," said Kohinur Begum, attendant of a patient from Narsingdi while describing the condition of the hospital onThursday night.

She said the corridor was crammed with burn patients. Their hands, heads and faces were all burned. The children looked as if their skin had been removed from their bodies.

The authorities however managed the situation quickly as no patients of Nimtoli tragedy were found lying on the floor yesterday. They deployed more doctors and nurses to attend the excessive pressure.

Meanwhile, President Zillur Rahman visited the victims at the burn unit yesterday afternoon. He talked to the victims and enquired about treatment given to them.

Talking to the reporters, the president called upon well-off people to extend their hands for better treatment of the victims.

State Minister for Home Affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Qamrul Islam, lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Medical Association Prof Chowdhury Mahmud Hasan and Secretary General Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed, Awami League Health Affairs Secretary Bodiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu and other leaders visited the Nimtoli survivors yesterday.