Family preparing for qulkhwani now, not wedding

The family was supposed to hold a joint wedding reception for two of the three brothers at their home in Khankanapur area of Rajbari town.

But grieving family members and friends were making preparations for qulkhani yesterday.

Saiful Islam, 27, one of the brothers about to get married, and his elder brother Monirul Islam, 32, died early Thursday when their motorcycle was hit by a truck on Dhaka-Khulna highway in Goalanda upazila of the district.

Monirul worked at a garment factory in Gazipur and Saiful at a project of the Youth Development Department of Rajbari.

After the 'Gaye Holud' programme on Wednesday, Saiful went to Daulatdia ferry terminal with his bike to receive Monirul, who was heading home from Gazipur.

The crash happened when the brothers were going towards Rajbari.

At their home yesterday, the bamboo structures made for the wedding celebrations were still there. Around 500 people were invited to attend the wedding ceremony.

Now their father Moksed Sardar was talking to his relatives about the preparation for the Kulkhani.

"My sons are gone. The three brothers were close to each other. Please bring them back…" Moksed lamented.

His second son Shamiul Islam's wife Jannatul Ferdous and mother-in-law were at the house. They were married a year ago, but did not have a formal reception. That's why the joint-reception was planned.

Jannatul said that she was supposed to come to her in-laws' house on Thursday dressed as a bride.

Monirul's wife Rita Khatun said, "After boarding the ferry, Monirul told me over the phone around 11:30pm that it will take him half an hour to get home. When he didn't come after almost two hours, I kept calling him. Later, the police answered the phone and said he was dead."

Ahladipur Highway Police Station Sub-Inspector M Al Mahmood said Shamiul filed a case accusing a truck driver named Golzar Hossain with Goalanda Ghat Police.

He added that police were looking for the driver.