Relatives search desperately for loved ones after deadly train arson in Dhaka

Tonima, who identified herself with a single name, was on the Benapole Express with her sister Elina Yamin and Elina’s 5-month-old child Arfan Hossain when the train was set on fire as it was entering Dhaka on Friday night.

Her face was sweaty even on the winter night as she was frantically searching for Elina and baby Arfan amid crowds of survivors and locals at a badminton court in Gopibagh, with anxiety writ large in her eyes.

A local resident was announcing through a loud hailer that Elina and Arfan were missing, urging Elina to come forward if she could hear the announcement, but to no avail.

Tonima was among the lucky ones who managed to get off the train.

At least four people, including a couple and their child, were burnt alive.

The survivors were hugging each other in an effort to find comfort, some were wailing in horror.

One of them, Mohammad Badshah, could not rest as his 3-year-old son Abdullah, identified with a single name, was still unaccounted for.

The local mosque was making announcements, urging people to take Abdullah there if they found him.

Locals brought the unscathed belongings of the passengers to the badminton court. Some of the survivors started heading home after finding their luggage.

One of them, Atiar Rahman, said he and five other members of the family got off the train when it stopped after the fire was spotted.

They could not bring out all the bags with them, and were searching for those.

Shattered window glasses, footwear, burnt luggage and other belonging amid the smell of the charred train coaches near the tracks showed signs how horrifying the scene was during the incident.

Three of the injured were admitted to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

They are Koushik Biswas, a doctor, Asif Mohammad Khan, a banker, and Nafis Alam, whose details were not immediately available.

Asif’s father Abu Siddique Khan said his daughter-in-law Natasha was also on the train, but she was unaccounted for. They were on their way back to Dhaka after visiting a relative’s house in Faridpur’s Bhanga.

“Asif put his head out of the window after failing to get off through the door. People dragged him out, but Natasha could not get out. We believe she is still inside,” said Siddique.

Iqbal Hossain, a deputy commissioner with Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said they confirmed the death of four passengers, but it was unclear how many were missing.