Desk Report,
Waiting for my father in front of the ICU, asking some questions
Last Monday at 1:30 pm. Habibur Rahman is waiting in front of the intensive care unit (ICU). His son Zarif Farhan did not return home from school yesterday and was admitted to the hospital. The child is in ICU bed number 16 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Farhan is 14. He studies at Milestone School in Uttara. 38 percent of his body has been burned.
Waiting for my father in front of the ICU, asking some questions
There were no words to comfort the waiting Habibur Rahman. When this reporter put his hand on his shoulder, he said with some anger, “Brother, what kind of country have you built? The safest place for a child is his school. How did my child’s body get burned there? The burning flame of jet fuel…Brother, I have nothing to say. I am waiting in front of the ICU for my child’s body…” Last Sunday, an Air Force fighter jet crashed over Milestone School and College in Uttara. Farhan was injured in the accident.
Three friends, Shahidul Islam, Zakir Hossain and Azizul Haque, were describing the horror of the incident as they climbed up the dirty, stuffy lift of the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute. They were saying, you have no idea how terrible a jet fuel fire can be. Everything burned down in an instant.
I went down to the 14th floor of the Burn Institute and spoke to the three friends in front of the prayer room. They said that they were actually four friends, Shahidul, Zakir, Azizul and Minhazur. They have been the souls of Harihar since they were students of the Glass and Ceramic Institute. The others stood by in the happiness and sorrow of one. Today is Minhazur’s bad day. His son Mahtabur Rahman is struggling with life and death.
With the help of three friends, I spoke to Minhazur. Minhazur Rahman Bhuiyan, Assistant General Manager of Great Wall Ceramics, said, “My only son. He was in seventh grade. He was humble and intelligent. His roll number in seventh grade was 1. What happened to him?’ She prayed for her child in a tearful voice.
Saleha Begum was describing the terrible fire. She said, ‘The school holiday bell has rung. I am waiting for my son. Suddenly, the plane hit the building with a loud noise. Red flames erupted from the fire. Everything burned down in an instant.’
Saleha Begum has two sons. The elder son is in college. The younger son is Abdul Moshabbir Makin. He is 13. He is a seventh grade student at Milestone School (Bangla Medium). 68 percent of Makin’s body was burned in the fire. Makin, a 13-year-old child, is admitted to the ICU of the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute and is in bed number 18.
Our Makins fall before they can bloom. We pray fervently that our Makins will be able to reach eighteen.
