The whole village of Bonati in Mymensingh’s Nandail upazila is now shrouded in grief due to the tragic death of four members of the same family in a devastating train accident on Monday which also claimed the lives of 14 others.
On Monday afternoon, a cargo train rammed into two bogies of the Dhaka-bound Egarosindhur Godhuli Express which was coming from Kishoreganj at Bhairab Rail Station in Kishoreganj district leading to one of the most devastating train crashes the country has seen in decades.
Two rear bogies of the passenger train were smashed due to impact with many travellers stuck inside.
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At least 17 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage. Among the deceased were Sujon Mia, aged 36, and his entire family of four. The other victims have been identified as Sujon Mia’s wife Fatima, 30, and their two sons, Sajib and Ismail, aged 12 and 7 respectively.
Sujon Mia and his family, along with relatives, came home from Dhaka to attend the wedding of younger brother Ramzan Mia's son on Friday. The entire house was beaming with the celebration of the wedding.
After the wedding ceremony concluded on Monday, Sujon Mia, along with his family members, boarded the Egarosindhur Godhuli Express at Kishoreganj station to return to Dhaka where he used to live with his family.
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They, however, couldn’t make it back home as the train met with a devastating accident shortly after departing from Bhairab Railway Station, resulting in the loss of him and his family members.
The members of Sujon Mia’s family back in Mymensingh, who were elated with joy and celebration merely 24 hours ago is now engulfed in mourning.
While visiting Sujon’s home, our Mymensingh correspondent found Sujon Mia’s parents grieving the tragic and untimely death of their son and his family.
They cannot, in any way, come to terms with such a death. The shadow of grief has spread throughout the entire area.
Sujon used to live with his family in a rented house on Taj Mahal Road in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area. He used to make his living by selling coconuts.
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"Sujon was my beloved child,” said Sujon’s father while grieving. “Whenever he had the chance, he would return home with his family. He consistently sent money for the household expenses.”
“The arrival of my grandchildren would light up the entire house," said Sujon’s father.
One by one, three funeral prayers were held at the old Jam-e-Masjid premises in the Bonati village.
The bereaved residents of the area participated in the funeral prayers. However, it was never in their imagination that they would have to participate in the funerals of the parents and their child at the same time.
Finally, on Tuesday morning, they were laid to rest in the local cemetery.
Sujon's younger brother, Swapan Mia, was also on the same train with his family. He and his family remained unscathed as they were in a different compartment of the same train.
While talking to UNB, Swapan said he was unaware that his elder brother, Sujon Mia and his family were on the same train.
Also read: Train Collision: 17 killed, scores injured in Kishoreganj
“I got to know about it from one of my relatives. Later, we found the bodies of my elder brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews in the hospital morgue,” he said.
"I can't bear to return home without my brother, sister-in-law, and nephews. Why has Allah burdened us with such a heavy punishment?" said bereaved Swapan Mia.
Abdul Malek Chowdhury Swapan, former upazila parishad chairman of Nandail, said the death of four people from one house has cast a shadow of mourning in the area.
“We demand exemplary punishment for those whose negligence has led to such a tragic accident,” he added.
Meanwhile, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arun Krishna Pal has announced financial assistance and rehabilitation to the family of the deceased.