Khokon Das’s family faces severe hardship following their only breadwinner’s death

His death means the family’s only source of income will have to close down

The family of Khokon Chandra Das has been plunged into severe hardship and destitution following his death.

Residents of Damudya in Shariatpur, the household includes Khokon’s elderly parents, his wife, and three children ranging in age from 5 to 15.

With no source of income, the family does not know how it will get by.

Khokon, 50, succumbed to his injuries around 8am on Saturday while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. His funeral was held at 10pm outside his house at Tiloi in Koneswar Union.

Family members, neighbors, and relatives gathered to bid a tearful farewell to a man described as the backbone of his home.

Khokon’s death was the result of a gruesome attack in which he was first stabbed and subsequently set on fire with petrol.

“Losing our only son meant losing everything to us,” said Paresh Chandra Das, the father of the victim.

He said his son’s death meant their only source of income -- a shop -- would soon be closed.

“Now he is gone, and the shop will have to close. With so many people depending on us, I don’t know where we will stand. We have no idea how we will get through the coming days,” said Paresh.

“We want justice for the murder of our son,” he added.

Khokon ran a drugstore in a local market and also worked as a Bkash agent.

His wife Sima Rani Das is a homemaker with three sons to look after—Akash Chandra Das, 15, Bikash Chandra Das, 10, and Adar Chandra Das, 5.

After his father filed a case over the murder, police have arrested three people. Police said the arrests followed allegations made by Khokon.

Police and relatives said Khokon was stabbed at 9pm on Wednesday while he was returning home. The attackers set him on fire after Khokon recognised them during the attack.

Suffering for three days with 30 percent of his body burnt, Khokon passed away on Saturday.

“The murder is clearly premeditated. He was burnt after being stabbed. The attackers wanted to make sure he was dead,” said a relative, requesting anonymity.