Jharna Rani’s death amid chaos of Sholakia attack still haunts family

The memories of last year’s Sholakia attack continue to haunt the family of Jharna Rani Bhoumik, a Hindu housewife who died inside her home after being hit by a stray bullet.

Maruf Ahmed, Kishoreganj Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 July 2017, 12:56 PM
Updated : 6 July 2017, 01:18 PM

She was making breakfast for her son Basudeb Bhoumik on Jul 7 when the bullet pierced a wall of her tin hut and hit her head, leaving her dead on spot.

It was the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, and Muslims were starting to assemble at Kishoreganj's Sholakia ground which hosts the country's largest Eid prayer congregation.   

Then suddenly, a group of terrorists armed with machetes and bombs attacked a police check post guarding the prayer ground, severely injuring two constables who later died during treatment. 

The attack prompted a shootout between the militants and police who managed to gun down one of the attackers, while the chaos claimed the life of Jharna.      

Her son Basudeb Bhoumik, who was visiting home for Eid vacation, remembered the ordeal.   

“My family is shattered. My father is now mentally ill. My younger brother cannot focus in his studies,” said Basudeb, a lecturer at Dhaka's Tejgaon Women’s College, told bdnews24.com.  

State Minister for Labour and Employment Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu visited and consoled the family last year and pledged to provide Tk 100,000 in aid.

The plaque for a Kishoreganj municiplity road named after Jharna Rani Bhoumik

But the minister did not keep his promise, said Jharna’s husband Gourango Nath Bhoumik, who hoped to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to demand a fair trial into Jharna's death.

Jharna’s younger son Shubho Deb Bhoumik became teary when asked about his mother.

The seventh grader said: “My mother used to feed me, help me with my studies. Now I will never see her again.”

Jharna's neighbours also recalled the horrors of the Eid-day attack that came within a week of a deadly terror siege in Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery.

Memories of the attack still frightened Sabujbagh resident Naredra Chandra Das and deed writer Habibur Rahman. They were worried about the children who have not recovered from the shock.

Police are yet to file charges in the cases over the attack. Morshed Zaman, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Kishoreganj Sadar Police, said their investigation was not over.

Jahidul Haque alias Tanim, Anwar Hossain and Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi have been put behind bars after they were arrested from the spot.

The attacker shot dead by police was later identified Abir Rahman, a student of Dhaka's privately-owned North South University.

The Sholakia attackers had planned to assassinate Maolana Fariduddin Masud, who leads the Eid prayers, Rajib Gandhi, an operative of the Neo-JMB, later confessed in court.