“I lost 18 of my near and dear ones, including my father and minor brother, Russel, on August 15, 1975. Since then I’ve been bearing the agony in my heart. So, I can realise your (victims’ families) pain in losing your sons in the July 11 accident,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in an emotion-choked voice while consoling family members of students killed in the Mirsarai mishap. She was addressing a mourning rally at the Abu Torab School playground here this morning. “I can see my 10-year-old brother, Russel, in your sons. I could not see his body after his death. Like me you have to turn grief into strength and move ahead,” she said, adding “I pray no one should face a similar fate.” She urged countrymen to pray for peace of the departed soul of the school boys and that no mother ever loses her son in such an accident.
The Prime Minister reached the playground at 10:40 a.m. She first mingled with victims’ family members waiting in front of the stage and consoled them saying: “I have come to share your grief. As a daughter of the nation’s father, I come to convey my sympathies to the bereaved family members. I could not come earlier owing to eye problems. But I sent my cabinet members shortly after the accident.”
Sheikh Hasina handed over Tk. 1 lakh to each of the 39 bereaved families and Tk. 50,000 to each of the families of the 18 injured as aid. She also handed over Tk. 1 lakh to the family of survived student, Adhir Chandra, whose father, Harinath Chandra, died after being wrongly informed of his son’s “death”.
Addressing the rally, she said the injured will get proper treatment so that they can return home soon. Hasina came down heavily on those who allow helpers to drive vehicles and in the process lives are lost. Such persons should be given exemplary punishment. “Unauthorised driving and running vehicles without licence must be stopped,” she said. Talking over mobile phones while driving must have to be strictly controlled. “We’ve asked law enforcement agencies to take action against those found using mobile phones while driving,” she added.
The Prime Minister said an initiative has been taken to provide schools and colleges with BRTC buses to carry students for different purposes, including games and sporting events, so that students do not have to take a ride on trucks.
She emphasised creating awareness among people to avert road accidents and called upon all to comply with traffic rules.
Presided over by the Mirsarai Upazila Awami League president, Mohammad Ali, the mourning rally was addressed by Industry Minister Dilip Barua, Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman on Civil Aviation and Tourism affairs, Engr Mosharraf Hossain MP, ABM Abul Kashem Master MP, Nurul Islam MP, North Chittagong Awami League leader M A Salam, Jasim Uddin, Syed Mafij Uddin Ahmed, Mirsharai Upazila vice-chairman Ferdous Hossain Arif, Rehena Begum, chairman of Mayani UP Kabir Nizami and others. Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. Afsarul Amin and State Minister for Health affairs, Capt. (Retd) Mujibur Rahman Fakir, were present. Engr. Mosharraf Hossain, also local lawmaker, urged the Prime Minister to set up a trauma centre in Mirsarai considering the fact that the Mirsarai highway is an accident-prone area.
-With The Independent input
