Memories are all that remain: a family lost to fire

Another person died in the fire that broke out at a building in Eskaton on Thursday, making the death toll five.

Shahidul Kirmani Rony (40), who lost his wife and son in the fire, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute around 6:30am today.

Earlier, a buying house staffer Abdul Kader Liton (40) and a Viqarunnisa Noon School and College student Afrin Jahan Juthi (17) died in the fire that started around 4:00am at building no 45/A on Dilu road.

Rony's four-year-old son AKM Rushdi also died that very day. Rushdi's mother Jannatul Fardous (38) passed away yesterday after being treated with 95 percent burns.

Rony tried to escape the building through the stairs, carrying Rushdi in his arms. But unable to see in the dark, Rony stumbled down the stairs and Rushdi fell out of his arms.

Rony had then tried to crawl back up the stairs [for his son], but lost consciousness, Rony's sister Nasrin Akhther told The Daily Star earlier.

The family had big plans for their future. Jannatul had set up her own online business and the young family was planning to expand it. Rushdi was recently enrolled in a school.

A five-member committee headed by Abul Hosen, deputy director of Mymensingh Fire Service and Civil Defence, was formed to probe the incident. The committee was asked to submit the report within 15 days.

Jamil Khan contributed to this report.