In the aftermath of the earthquake in Dhaka, the body of Rafi—who was killed—lies on a hospital bed, while his injured mother, Nusrat, is undergoing surgery in the operating theater. Despite her own pain, the mother cannot stop asking about her son. Again and again, she asks: “How is Rafi?” She does not know that her son will never open his eyes again to see the world.
Rafi’s family home is in Bogura. He had one sister and one brother. His father works in Dinajpur. Although he had a seat at his dormitory, Rafi— a student of the 52nd batch of Sir Salimullah Medical College—lived with his mother and sister in Dhaka.
His classmate, Apu, said that on Friday morning (21 November), Rafi had gone to the market with his mother to buy meat. They were standing in front of Noyon’s butcher shop in Kasaituli, Bangshal, when the earthquake struck. The violent shaking caused the railing of the building to collapse on them. People nearby rushed to rescue them and took them to the hospital. There, doctors declared Rafi dead.
Video footage and photos show that the front of Rafi’s head and his face were crushed.
Hospital sources said Rafi’s mother has been taken into the operating theater, where she is being treated. According to Apu, the news of Rafi’s death has not been told to his mother yet. She herself is seriously injured—though not in critical condition—but is in deep trauma.
Meanwhile, Rafi’s only sister rushed to the hospital upon hearing the devastating news. Her brother’s lifeless body and her mother’s suffering have left her shattered with grief.
Earlier, at 10:38 am, a strong earthquake was felt in Dhaka and several parts of the country. At the time this report was written, various damages—including tilting buildings—had been reported across the capital.
According to a statement from the Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at 10:38:26 am. The epicenter was in Madhabdi, Narsingdi. The magnitude was 5.7, making it a moderate earthquake.
The duty officer of Bangshal Police Station told Shomoy TV that when the railing of a five-story building collapsed in Kasaituli, three pedestrians were killed—one of them being Rafi. The identities of the other two victims, including a child, are still unknown. The bodies are at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford).
Assistant Commissioner (AC) Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami of Lalbagh Division Police said that two people died on the spot after part of the building—or a sunset shade—collapsed in Kasaituli. Another person died after being taken to the hospital.