Ten years ago, Md Fahim, the eldest son of Monir Hossain of Narayanganj Sadar, left for South Africa in search of a better future to support his family. His earnings helped marry off his two sisters and financed the education of his twin younger brothers, who are now sitting for their Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, while also covering the family’s living expenses.
His parents had dreamed of celebrating his wedding when he returned home this year. But that dream was shattered in an instant.
Fahim was among six Bangladeshis killed in a fire that broke out at a shop in Queenstown, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, around 3am on Tuesday.
Five of the victims were from Narayanganj and were all related to one another. The sixth victim was 55-year-old Md Razik, son of the late Salam Bepari, from Munshiganj.
News of Fahim’s death cast a pall of grief over his home in Kroker Char village of Alirtek Union. His father, Monir Hossain, has been left speechless since hearing the news, while his mother and four siblings have been inconsolable.
Family members said Fahim was the sole breadwinner. As the eldest son, he moved to South Africa at the age of 18 to shoulder the family’s responsibilities. Union Parishad member Rowshan Ali helped him secure a job at the shop where the fire later occurred. Several others from the same area subsequently joined him there for work.
Over the past decade, Fahim worked tirelessly to arrange the marriages of his two sisters and finance the education of his twin brothers, Zahid and Nahid, who are now appearing in the HSC examinations. The family had planned for Fahim to return home in January for his wedding, and preparations, including the necessary paperwork, were already underway.
The other victims from Narayanganj were 23-year-old Apon Ahmed, son of Ali Mia; 55-year-old Nur Hossain, son of the late Sorob Ali; 26-year-old Md Faisal, son of Faruk Hossain of Tailkhir Char; and Md Shahin, son of the late Akhtar Hossain of Kanainagar in Baktabali Union.
Rowshan Ali, a member of Alirtek Union Parishad and owner of the shop, told TIMES of Bangladesh that four of the victims were from Alirtek Union, one from neighbouring Baktabali Union, and one from Rikabibazar in Munshiganj. All six were relatives.
Narayanganj Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Fayez Uddin said no official information had yet been received about the incident.
“We have not received any communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nor has any affected family contacted us. We are looking into the matter,” he said.
Officer-in-Charge of Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station Sajedur Rahman also said they had not yet received any official information regarding the incident.
