Dreams ended too soon
Sumon Hossen was buried at his native village in Jhenaidah on Friday. He was 22 years old. With his death, the hopes and dreams of his parents, which revolved around their son, were also shattered.
A student of Dhaka University's (DU) anthropology department, Sumon succumbed to Covid-19 after battling for his life at Jashore General Hospital's ICU.
He was from a financially strained family and got the opportunity to study at DU only after his father, Amir Hossen, sold and mortgaged some land to finance his son's education.
"He was my asset and the family's hope. I put a lot of effort for his studies. What will I do without him? I can't explain how difficult it is for a parent to see his child leave before him," Amir said.
Sumon's younger brother Sujan Hossen, an SSC examinee, said, "My brother's dream was to become a magistrate. He always advised me to study well."
Sumon was at home with his parents, since the university remained closed amid the pandemic. That's when he was infected with the virus.
Amir, a farmer, could not study himself, but struggled a lot to make his son's future bright. Sumon used to assure his father, saying if he gets a job, no one will have to struggle anymore.
Relatives said Sumon's family live in a small house. When Sumon used to stay at home during vacation, his parents would sleep in the kitchen due to the limited space.
Dr Farhana Begum, chairperson of DU's anthropology department, said initially they were unaware about Sumon's illness. "We were informed two days before his death. In such a short time, we managed to raise a small amount of money."
She added that they will discuss at the department and with hall authorities about providing financial assistance to Sumon's family.
DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman said it's painful that one of the university's students died in such a way. He urged everyone to stand by Sumon's family.
Comments