Rashedul Islam, Md Yousuf, and Md Hanif were travelling on the same bus when picketers suddenly hurled petrol bombs at it and set the bus on fire.
The bus passengers, who were sleeping, started running towards the bus door to get away from the flames, but none could quickly open the door. With no other option in hand, Hanif broke a window and jumped out of the bus.
Rashed and Yousuf could not do so, and their bodies caught fire.
“I saw my younger brother, Yousuf, burn to death right in front of my eyes while I stood outside, and my nephew, Rashed, was severely burned and later died while undergoing treatment at the hospital,” said Hanif, teary-eyed.
Hanif, who is now being treated at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital burn and plastic surgery institute, added: “What can I say to you, brother. The whole thing seems nightmarish to me. I have tried hard to forget the scene, but cannot. I do not know what to do, as when I close my eyes, I can only see my dear ones burning to death in front of me.”
Hailing from Shagchanda village in Cox’s Bazar, Hanif is a farmer. His wife, Anowar Begum, and his elder son, Sajid, is a Class Three student at a local school. Hanif also has two more children, Shihab, aged 4, and Sahin, aged 2.
On the night of February 2, Hanif was travelling on the Icon Paribahan bus to the capital with Rashed and Yousuf, to see off the latter, as they were scheduled to fly to Qatar on February 3. However, when their bus reached near Choddogram in Comilla, some picketers threw a petrol bomb in an attack that left seven people burned to death, and 16 others injured.
Six of the injured were transferred to DMCH, where Rashedul succumbed to injuries the following day, with 80% burns on his body. Hanif is still undergoing treatment, with 7% burns, and his injuries have started to heal.
Hanif said: “My outside wounds are healing, but what can I do about the wounds inside? I doubt I will find an easy way to heal them.”
Since the indefinite nationwide blockade began, 124 victims have been treated at the burn institute till date. Among the injured, nine have died while undergoing treatment, and 63 victims are still undergoing treatment there. Among the injured, seven are still fighting for their lives at the Intensive Care Unit, while eight others in the High Dependency Unit.
Dr Partha Shankar Pal, a DMCH burn institute resident surgeon, told Dhaka Tribune that many of the injured have started healing, but they still have 15 victims in critical condition, undergoing treatment at the ICU and HDU wards. “We are trying our best and the rest depends on luck,” he said.