‘No need for govt grant, find my husband’s body’
Hatem Ali Bepari (60) and Momela Begum (50) of Jugnighat area of Munshiganj Sadar upazila have been married for about 35 years. During this period, Momela's husband was abroad for 30 years. At different times of the year, he comes home for a few months and spends time with his family.
Hatem Ali came to Bangladesh from Kuwait a month ago. But he allegedly went missing in yesterday's launch capsize in Shitalakshya river while he was returning to Munshiganj from Dhaka.
During the visit to Hatem Ali's house at Juganighat village this noon, this correspondent found that no family members can stop crying for Momela Begum as her husband remains missing till now. She was still waiting for her husband's return. She can't accept that Hatem Ali is still missing and most likely, dead.
Talking to The Daily star, Momela said, "They (the rescue team) didn't try to find out my husband's body. The body was not even inside the lifted launch. Only Allah knows what the government has done. I don't need government grants. Find out my husband's body. I don't want anything else. At least I want to bury my husband myself. The government has disappeared my husband's body."
She further said her husband was a patient of heart disease. He went to Dhaka's Birdem Hospital for treatment from Munshiganj yesterday morning. After consulting with the doctor, he left Dhaka for Munshiganj.
"When I called him at 12:30 pm yesterday, he told me he would get on the bus after a while. After that, when I called him after 2 pm, his phone was found switched off. Later, I came to know that the launch where my husband was onboard capsized in Shitalakkhya river," said Momela.
She said her son was on the bank of the Shitalakkhya river all night but he could not find the body.
It was difficult to work abroad due to his illness, which is why he was always consulting a doctor over his sickness, added Momela.
ML Afsar Uddin capsized in the river after it was hit by a large cargo vessel, the MV Rupshi-9, in Char Syedpur area in Narayanganj Sadar upazila yesterday. Eight people died following the launch capsize.
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