The flight will take off on scheduled time, but Rashedul Islam will not be there. The young man who have a driving ambition to build career on foreign land, now sees no future lying on hospital bed after he suffered serious burns on early Tuesday.

Rashedul Islam escaped death, but seven of his co-passengers were burnt alive while travelling on Icon Paribahan bus from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka.  

The bus came under petrol bomb attack at Chauddagram in Comilla at about 3:30am on Tuesday.

Several persons with serious burns and wounds were send to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.  

Among the injured, Rashedul Islam had about 80% of his body burnt, Mohammad Hanif about 7%, Mohammad Zilkad about 20%, his friend Faruk Ahmed about 2%, Mohammad Shafiqul Islam about 28%, Mohammad Arif Shikder about 10%, and Abdul Wahid had minor injuries. Wahid was released after primary treatment.

Among the six, Rashedul and Shafiqul are now in critical condition, said doctors.

Broken dreams

Rashedul was on his way to Dhaka to get on a plane scheduled for Qatar afternoon on Wednesday.

‘He had a dream to fly abroad for a better future and was on his way to Dhaka. Suddenly, a petrol bomb was thrown at our bus. Flames swelled in and burnt many passengers as most of them were asleep at that time,’ said Mohammad Hanif, uncle of Rashedul who was accompanying him.

Rashedul lying on hospital bed was wailing for his passport and other documents that are essential to fly abroad.

‘Sister-sister, I have to catch the flight on Wednesday. Where is my passport?,’ cried Rashedul.

Hanif also said that Rashedul might have lost everything as he had already mortgaged his lands to manage money to travel to Qatar.

Don’t know what will happen now

Around ten days back, Mohammad Zilkad and his three friends—Faruk Ahmed, Ali Hossain and Mohammad Sharif—went to Cox’s Bazar to pass leisure times as Zilkad were supposed to fly abroad soon.

Their return, however, was not happy and safe. Zilkad and Faruk are now undergoing treatment at DMCH Burn Unit following the cocktail attack on their bus on Tuesday night.

‘My only son was scheduled to stand for Saudi visa on Wednesday. We have already paid Tk 3.5 lakh to a travel agent for departure, but I don’t know what will happen now,’ said Zilkad’s father Zahirul Islam.

Among the others, Ali Hossain and Mohammad Sharif managed to escape burns, but Sharif caught in.

He said, ‘Soon after the bus crossed Times Square Restaurant at Chauddagram at about 3:30am, we saw flames in front of the bus. Most of the passengers were asleep. Hearing bangs of window glass breaking, we three got up and jumped out of the bus through the windows, but Zilkad was inside. Minutes later, we found Zilkad lying by the street with burn injuries.’

Rescuers at first took them to Comilla Medical College Hospital and later shifted them to DMCH.

Arif got injuries, not his brother

His brother was missing for last few days. Arif Shikder went to Cox’s Bazar in search of his brother. But, he had to came back with injuries and wails.

‘Three days ago, Arif went to Cox’s Bazar hoping that he might find out his brother from the people, who were rescued from a trawler that capsized at Bay of Bengal. He was not sure that his brother was with them, but he was expecting his brother,’ said Kamal Hawlader, brother-in-law of Arif.

Arif did not find his brother there and was returning home in Faridpur.

At least 48 people were killed in ongoing political violence across the country. Currently, 61 victims, who sustained burn injuries from different arson attacks since January 5, are now undergoing treatment at DMCH Burn Unit.