Shahbagh Bus Arson
Death stops Ohidur from going home
The last words that Ohidur Rahman Babu told his mother on Monday were, ‘Mother! Do not cry. My wounds will be healed. I will return home soon. Just pray for me.’
Saleha Begum, mother of Ohidur, 22, a first-year political science student at Dhaka College, was sobbing out the words on Wednesday. She could not believe that her younger son left her forever on early Wednesday.
Ohidur, one of 19 people sustained burn injuries as a moving bus was set on fire near Shishu Park at Shahbagh on November 28, succumbed to the injuries
at the burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital at about 5:00am, taking to three the numbers of people killed in the arson.
Of the injured, Teenager Nahid Moral died on the same day while his cousin Robin Munshi, 25, an apparel worker, died the next day at the burn unit.
Travelling countries was one of the passions of Ohidur as he already travelled India, Nepal and Malaysia. He was preparing documents for travelling USA along with his cousin.
Documents for facing interview for a USA visa arrived on November 29, the following day of the arson, said his mother.
Ohidur was heading towards Shahbagh to attend a prayer session invited by his brother-in-law, but just before reaching Shahbagh he experienced the worst nightmare.
Amongst five siblings, Ohidur was the youngest and most educated. His elder bother works abroad and the other one is a farmer. He wanted to be educated and fulfil his mother’s dream.
His sister-in-law Sahanara Akhter told New Age, ‘We all had left hope of finding his disappeared father Wajiullah, 80, who went missing three years ago, but Ohidur did not left hope. He was constantly trying to get whereabouts of his father. Even he went to police and media houses for assistance.’
Twelve people have so far died at the DMCH of burns injuries sustained in violence during the recent blockades and general strikes enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance.
-With New Age input
