There are no joyful conversations, no excitement over new clothes, no laughter of sons returning home after months away at the villages of Varsho union in Manda upazila.
Instead, grief hangs heavy in the air, with families and relatives mourning young men whose final journey ended on a highway in Tangail.
What was meant to be a joyful homecoming became a tragedy that wiped out dreams, shattered families and plunged an entire community into mourning.
Ten people from Naogaon, including nine youths from the same union in Manda, are among those who were killed in a horrific road accident on the east side of the Jamuna Bridge in Tangail early Monday after boarding a rod-laden truck to return home from Noakhali, where they used to work as hawkers, buying human hair and selling used mobile phones, scrap materials and plastic toys.
They chose the truck for one simple reason: they could not afford the soaring Eid bus fares.
According to locals, transport fares had increased by Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 ahead of Eid. For low-income workers struggling to survive, that amount was enormous.
So, like many others do during festive seasons, they took the riskier option. But little did they know that it would cost them their lives.
The rod-laden truck plunged into the roadside and overturned, leaving 15 people killed and eight others injured.
Of the deceased, nine were residents of different villages under Varsho union in Manda upazila, while another victim hailed from Malancha village in Niamatpur upazila of the district.
The nine deceased from Manda were identified as Mohammad Tarek, son of Sultan Hossain, Abdur Rashid, son of Abdul Barek, Mohammad Badshah, son of Abdur Rahim, Sohagh Hossain, son of Ekabbar Hossain, Mohammad Rabiul, son of Shahidul, Mohammad Sagar, son of Mohammad Sakim of Rajendrabati village, Moinur Islam, son of Jafor Ali of Murshidpur village, and Mohammad Mainul and Mohammad Gias – two sons of Abdur Rashid of Pakuria village.
Shariful hailed from Malancha village in Niamatpur.
Firoz Hossain, a resident of Rajendrabati village, said over a hundred people from Uttar Najirpur Colony of Naogaon work in different trades in Noakhali throughout the year.
“During Eid, bus operators charge an extra Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000. To avoid the higher fares, many people travel by goods-laden trucks. They also returned home that way,” he said.
Sultan Hossain, father victim Tarek, said the youths had started their journey from Feni by truck after failing to afford the higher bus fare.
“They were all coming home together for Eid. None of us imagined this would be their last journey,” he said, breaking down in tears.
The sudden deaths of the youths triggered scenes of mourning across Manda and Niamatpur upazilas, leaving the victims’ families devastated.
Sabina Khatun, wife of deceased Badshah Mia, has been left devastated after suddenly losing her husband in the accident. She repeatedly broke down in tears while holding their only daughter Rahi Moni.
Relatives trying to console her also could not hold back their tears.
In a choked voice, Sabina said, “I spoke to my husband several times while he was returning home. He said he would buy a new dress and mehendi for our daughter. I last spoke to him around 10:00pm on Sunday. In the morning, I received the news of his death.”
Manda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Akhter Zahan Shathi said Deputy Commissioner of Naogaon Muhammad Saiful Islam and Tangail DC Sharifa Haque were jointly working to bring the bodies back home.
She also said they will provide necessary assistance for burial.