The demise of the couple, their 3-year-old daughter and still-born baby leaves relatives in utter disbelief
Published : 12 Apr 2024, 05:23 AM
A couple expecting a baby had picked Eid-ul-Fitr day for a hassle-free journey home, but a mooring rope snapped and lashed them dead along with their 3-year-old daughter as launches at Sadarghat terminal in Dhaka were competing for more passengers.
Relatives of Billal Hossain, 30, his pregnant wife Mukta Begum, 26, their daughter Maisha Akter, and the still-born baby were in utter disbelief, wailing in pain of losing their loved ones while waiting for the bodies at Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital on Thursday.
Mukta and Billal avoided the Eid rush in the hope of a comfortable journey but could not escape death as their journey to the south became their last.
Two other people – ride-sharing motorcyclist Ripon Howlader, 38, from Patuakhali, and Robiul Islam Mohan, 19, a hawker working at the terminal – also died on the spot.
The mooring rope of the launch MV Tasrif-4 snapped under pressure as MV Farhan-6 was trying to dock between MV Tasrif-4 and MV Pubali-1, both tied to pontoon No. 11, the Fire Service and Civil Defence said.
“A launch hit another. The thick rope of a launch tore under the influence of the incident and hit the people. That’s what caused the casualties,” said Navy police Sub-Inspector Kumaresh Roy, who came to Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital in Dhaka for the autopsy of the bodies. She lamented the death of everyone in her cousin’s family.
Billal’s cousin Honufa Akter said the family lived in Gazipur as Billal worked at a garment factory there.
“Billal’s wife was seven months into her pregnancy. She was supposed to be at home [in Pirojpur] before the delivery,” she said.
“Billal planned the trip on Eid day to avoid the rush before the festival, considering his wife’s condition. Now they’ve perished together with their daughter,” Honufa said, demanding that those responsible for the tragedy face punishment.
Ride-sharing motorcyclist Ripon stayed in Dhaka until Eid as he expected to make some more money before returning home to Patuakhali. His wife and their two children live in her parents’ home in nearby district Barguna.
His wife’s niece, who works at a beauty parlour in Bananni, was travelling with Ripon.
Relatives said the girl broke down in shock after seeing die in the blink of an eye.
“We had breakfast together in the morning. He [Ripon] came to Sadarghat in the afternoon. Now he is dead,” lamented Shahidul Islam, another relative.
Rokshana Begum, elder sister of hawker Rabiul, was crying inconsolably. Rabiul went to Keraniganj on Wednesday to meet Rokshana and her family.
“He [Rabiul] gave my son Mohammad Sufian Tk 200 as Eid Salami [cash gift for children] on Chand Raat [eve of Eid]. Sufian was so happy. I don’t want Salami. Please give my brother back,” she cried.