Sadarghat tragedy: 'How will I feed my children?'
Says wife of one of the victims who was family's lone breadwinner
Thirty-eight-year-old Ripon Hawladar was supposed to bring happiness to his village home in Patuakhali in the form of Eid gifts for his loved ones.
His big family of 12, including his four children, were eagerly waiting for his return from the capital. All they could think of was spending the Eid holidays together.
Instead, Ripon's lifeless body was brought home in Patuakhali's Shiali village around 11:00am today. He was one of the five victims who died after being struck by a broken mooring line of a passenger launch at Sadarghat Launch Terminal yesterday afternoon.
His four children -- Riamoni, Rifat, Brishti, and Meghla -- hugged their father's coffin and broke down in tears. All his family members were crying inconsolably.
"Please don't leave us like this, father," said his daughter Riamoni.
"Ripon was the lone breadwinner of this family. What will happen to us now? Who will look after us?" said Ripon's 80-year-old father, Zainal Abedin Hawladar, who is visually impaired.
Ripon's wife Nargis Begum said, "Ripon lived alone in the capital. He used to come home only during the Eid vacation."
"My husband had worked at a juice company for 20 years. The he quit his job and started providing ride-sharing services, as it became difficult to support the family with the salary... Now who will feed us? How will I feed my children?" said a crying Nargis.
Ripon lived in the capital's Badda area.
The incident occurred around 3:00pm while two launches -- Farhan-10 and Farhan-6 -- were trying to dock between two other launches -- Tipu 13 and Tasrif 1 -- at one of the pontoons, said eyewitnesses.
The docking attempt in the tight spot caused the mooring line of launch Tasrif-4 -- docked next to Tipu-13 -- to snap under pressure, which struck Ripon and others.
Ripon, alongside his niece, was standing on the pontoon to board Tasrif-4, bound for Barguna, to get back home on the Eid day, said Al Amin, younger brother of Ripon.
The mooring line hit Ripon's head. Later, he was taken to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, where the doctor declared him dead, he added.
Apart from his wife and children, Ripon looked after his father and five brothers.
Ripon's daughters Riamoni, Meghla, and Brishti are seventh, fifth, and third graders, while his son Rifat is a sixth grader.
Ripon also bore the educational expenses of his three college-going brothers -- Al Amin, Rasel, and Musa.
Ripon was buried in his family graveyard after the Jummah prayers today.
Patuakhali Deputy Commissioner Md Noor Qutubul Alam said Ripon's family will be given support from the district administration.