Two more arson victims, firebombed during the nationwide blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday.
The deceased were truck helper Jahangir Alam, 30, from Bogra, and rickshaw puller Lutfur Rahman, 35, from Gaibandha, sources said.
With these deaths, the total number of death by petrol bomb attacks during the ongoing blockade now stands at 45, 15 of which were at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery of the DMCH.
Sources at the burn institute said Jahangir suffered 46% burn injuries and his respiratory system was damaged when his truck was firebombed in Char Matha area in Bogra town on January 23. His sister Shapla and her husband Masud, who is a truck driver, were also injured in the incident.
Jahangir was brought in to the burn institute the next day, where he died around 3:15am yesterday after fighting for his life for 36 days.
Lutfur, on the other hand, was attacked on his way to Maulvibazar from Dhaka on February 10. He was first admitted to the neurosurgery department the next day, but was later moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) as his condition deteriorated. He struggled for 17 days before succumbing to his injuries around 7:30am yesterday.
Since the blockade began on January 6, a total of 150 arson victims have been treated and released at the burn institute, while 45 are currently undergoing treatment, sources said.
Both the victims were the sole earning members in their families.
Jahangir was the elder son of his family, and had two children – a daughter and a son.
His wife said: “My daughter has been asking for her father. What am I supposed to tell her?”
Lutfur left behind his wife and three sons. His wife Momena Khatun said: “I don’t see a way ahead. My future has been snatched away from me. My husband was the only earning member in my family. The miscreants took him away from us. We have nothing, except for a small piece of land. How am I going to take care of my family now? How am I going to feed my sons?”
