'I have nothing left to live for': Aleya grieves losing son, daughter-in-law, grandchild in launch accident

Aleya Begum's son Belal Hossain, her daughter-in-law and four-year-old granddaughter returned home in a coffin today (12 April).

They fell victim to an accident in Dhaka's Sadarghat which left a total of five people killed after a launch rope reportedly tore down during a faulty parking attempt by another launch.

Just a year ago, she had lost her husband. And now, her son. 

She lives alone in Pirojpur's Mathbaria Upazila. 

Her son, Belal, used to visit her during Eid. This time too, he set out with his wife Mukta and four-year-old daughter Maisha to spend Eid with his mother. But, alas!

Crying frantically, begging for justice, she said, "I have nothing left to live for. How will I ever survive this? I want justice for this incident. I want justice for those who killed my entire family."

A Dhaka court has ordered a three-day remand for five people arrested in connection with the launch accident that killed five people at Dhaka's Sadarghat on Thursday (11 April).

The Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court's Judge Arifa Chowdhury Himel passed the order today, Sadarghat River Police Sub Inspector Nakib Aizul Haque, the investigating officer in the case, told the media.

The investigating officer had requested the court for a seven-day remand for the arrestees further while the lawyers of the accused petitioned for their bail.  

The judge, however, scrapped the bail petition and remanded the suspects for three days.

Regarding the burial of Belal's family, his brother-in-law Jahangir Hossain said, "We wanted to lay all three of them to rest side by side. But, as per Aleya Begum's wishes, Belal was buried in their home next to his father.

"His wife and child were laid to rest in her home."

Kamrul Munshi, Belal's cousin, said he lived in Gazipur with family and worked in a garment factory there. 

Belal had planned to visit his hometown on Eid day to avoid traffic. Though he never did get to see his mother one last time, he added. 

Mathbaria Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Abdul Qayyum said the families of the victims are helpless at this point. 

"The upazila administration made some inquiries after getting the addresses of the deceased. Maximum support will be extended to their families," he added.

On Thursday evening, Ismail Hossain, joint director of Dhaka River Port at BIWTA's Maritime Safety and Traffic Management Department filed a case with South Keraniganj Police Station against five individuals.

Earlier in the afternoon, five people were killed after a launch rope reportedly tore during a faulty parking attempt by another launch in Sadarghat.

Zainal Abedin, joint commissioner, Traffic-Sadarghat River Port, said two launches, MV Tasrif-4 and MV Pubali-1, were tied to the ghat with ropes. 

When another launch named Farhan-6 tried to enter between the two launches, the rope of MV Tasrif-4 tore down.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) formed a three-member probe committee to investigate the incident.