Fatema, her dream home and four others buried in Chittagong landslide

A plate, some plastic bowls, a mirror and a comb – these were the remnants of the small world Bibi Fatema built at the foot of a Sitakunda hill in Chittagong.

Mitoon Chowdhurybdnews24.com
Published : 21 July 2017, 08:25 PM
Updated : 21 July 2017, 08:25 PM

The garment factory worker took loans to build the 'dream home' with bamboo and tin on the slope of Bibirhat Hill in Jangal Salimpur.

Fatema, her 10-year old son Md Yunus, her sister-in-law Rabeya and Rabeya's two daughters Samia, 7, and Lamia, 2, were all buried at around 3am on Friday when a part of hill slid after incessant rains for days.

They all were deep asleep when the disaster struck. 

Miraculously, Fatema's husband Rafiqul Islam, their two daughters Jannat, 14, and Salma, 11, and Rafiqul's brother Gias Uddin survived.

Rafiqul, an autorickshaw driver from Noakhali, and Fatema moved to Salimpur around a decade ago.

Locals call the location Beltala, the hill where Fatema, Shafiqul and several other families built homes.

Fatema's neighbour Nasima Akter told bdnews24.com that she met the victim for the last time on Thursday night.

"It was raining very heavily. Fatema came to my house around 9pm. We had enjoyed betel leaf and nuts together. I realised it was a landslide just before dawn after hearing the roaring sound," she said.

When the part of the hill slid on Fatema's house, Rafiqul and their younger daughter Salma managed to get out of the rubble first.

Salma then knocked Nasima's door, and Nasima's son Emran rushed to Fatema's house.

Emran said he saw Rafiqul's brother Gias coming out of the debris.

Some other locals arrived and dragged out Fatema's other daughter Jannat.

Their another neighbour, Jotsnya, said Rafiqul's family depended much on Fatema's income as he could not give much time to driving because of illness. It was Fatema who took loans to build the house on the government land two years ago.

Rafiqul's sister Rabeya moved to her brother's house along with her two daughters during Ramadan after a fight with her husband. Fatema then took another loan to buy tins to make room for Rabeya and her daughters.

Fatema's daughter Jannat was wailing after losing her mother, little brother, aunt and two cousins. Rafiqul was wailing and fainting at the loss of son, wife and other relatives.

Local Ward Councillor Golam Gafur told bdnews24.com shelters were opened fearing landslides after Thursday's rain.

The families on the hills had been urged through loudspeakers to move to the shelters, but Rafiqul's family stayed, Gafur said.

The bodies of the victims were taken to Rafiqul's ancestral village in Noakhali for burial in the afternoon.