Abul Bajandar, a 35-year-old man from the southwestern city of Khulna in Bangladesh, carries an exceptionally rare medical condition, epidermodysplasia verruciformis. This disease has led to the growth of massive wart-like protuberances across his hands and feet, earning him the unfortunate moniker of the ‘Tree Man’.
His condition, which is incredibly rare with less than ten cases documented worldwide, has rendered his life one of struggle and hopelessness. Yet, despite the constant pain and humiliation, Bajandar found a glimmer of hope in 2015. His story was picked up by a local journalist, and as international media outlets started covering his plight, he received support from unexpected quarters, including the country’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
Under the prime minister’s intervention, Bajandar was admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital in early 2016. Here, a team of surgeons led by Samanta Lal Sen undertook the daunting task of surgically removing the massive warts. Despite the risk and uncertainty, a series of successful surgeries enabled Bajandar to experience the joy of holding his daughter for the first time, a moment he describes as making him “the happiest father in the world.”
The family lived a semblance of a normal life in 2018, with Bajandar being able to walk without pain and use his hands for the first time since his teenage years. However, this period of respite was short-lived. In a matter of months, the warts started to re-emerge, and within three years, they grew back larger than ever.
The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated matters, causing Bajandar to halt treatment and return to his home in Khulna. As his condition worsened, the enormous warts have caused severe muscular and bone issues, making every step a torment. His constant battle with infected wounds and increasing dependence on painkillers depict a bleak picture of his life.
Amid these trials, his wife, Halima Khatun, stands as his primary pillar of support. She takes on the financial responsibilities of their family, all the while providing the necessary care for Bajandar. His condition has impacted their entire family, confined their lives to their modest home, and limited their interactions with the outside world.
Despite Bajandar’s pleading requests for amputation of his limbs at local hospitals, his requests are continually denied. Though the surgeons at Dhaka Medical College Hospital have offered him and Khatun jobs, allowing them to stay in Dhaka for regular treatments, Bajandar has declined, fearing the unfamiliar urban environment and the potential impact on his wife and daughters.
Abul Bajandar’s journey highlights the dire struggles of those suffering from rare medical conditions. Despite the progress of modern medicine, his ongoing ordeal stands as a testament to the numerous mysteries the medical world is yet to unravel. As he continues his fight against his relentless condition, his story is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit against unfathomable adversities.
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