Flight of the survivors

It was a momentary respite from a black chapter for many people. This particular Biman Bangladesh flight BG072 from Kathmandu to Dhaka was carrying Almun Nahar Annie, Mehedi Hasan and Kamrunnahar Shwarna -- three survivors of the BS211 air crash.

 At Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, when the boarding schedule still listed Biman's 1:30pm flight status to be “security check-in” at 1:24pm yesterday, the passengers did not worry so much.

“There might be a delay; the survivors are coming with us,” one of them said. The delay wouldn't be a headache for anyone today; empathy was aplenty. Their survivors were going back home with them.

As passengers entered the plane, they saw them sitting. Among those in the know, some offered a nod, some a kind word whilst others walked past in silent deference. It was a procession of respect.

Annie, Hasan and Shwarna sat in the business class. Annie was with her mother and Mehedi and Shwarna sat together. There were a few relatives.

Much of the flight moments passed in silence. There was a few minutes delay.

As the curtain separating the two sections opened for a few seconds, a woman turned to the man sitting next to her and pointed to the business section. “That is Mehedi. He saved both the women's lives,” she said.

Whispers of Mehedi's heroics had abounded. After all, every tragedy did need its heroes. He was said to have pulled Shwarna and Anne out of the flaming wreckage. While it could not be independently confirmed whether that actually happened, if it did, how did Mehedi feel? How does a hero feel when it comes to saving lives? Because not everyone can be saved.

After a while, the captain announced that the flight was ready to land. Mehedi stared ahead in dead silence, his neck was still in a brace. Annie, on the other hand, was looking out the window.

Photo: Rajib Raihan

She was seeing buildings below getting bigger, the clouds covering the world around her again.

As the plane touched down and turned towards the end of its journey, a number of ambulances came in site. Armed men stood around while people, with headsets barked orders around them. A flight attendant approached Annie and told her she was home.

A sniffle escaped from her as she held back tears. Just that one sniffle. Then she looked out again. She was home but she had perhaps left the best parts of her behind.

The flight attendant again spoke to her and she replied inaudibly. “The government has sent these for you. They are trying to offer their help,” the attendant said. Annie nodded. Covering her head, she turned to the window and sobbed. Her mother squeezed Annie's arm. Shwarna just looked devastated.

The rest of the passengers walked off the plane and onto the waiting coach. The three would be the last few to leave the plane. They had survived.