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A seven-year-old child was killed and three others critically injured early Saturday in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila after the house of a BNP leader was locked from the outside and set on fire. The incident occurred at the residence of Belal Hossain, a businessman and assistant organising secretary of Bhabaniganj Union BNP, police said. Belal’s daughter, Ayesha Akter, 7, died in the fire at West Char Mansa village, said Officer-in-Charge of Lakshmipur Sadar Model Thana Md Wahid Parvez, as reported by The Daily Star. Belal and his two other daughters, Salma Akter, 16, and Samia Akter, 14, suffered severe burn injuries. Belal is receiving treatment at a hospital, while his daughters were sent to Dhaka for advanced care, OC Wahid Parvez said. Belal’s mother, Hazera Begum, said miscreants locked both doors and set the house on fire by pouring petrol, but she could not identify who was responsible. Hazera Begum described the events leading up to the tragedy. “I went to sleep after dinner. Around 1:00am, I woke up and saw through the window that my son’s tin-shed house was on fire. I ran out screaming but found both doors of the house locked from the outside. I couldn’t enter. Eventually, my son managed to break the door and escape. His wife, Nazma, also managed to get out with their four-month-old infant, Abir Hossain, and six-year-old son, Habib,” she said. She added, “My granddaughters, Salma, Samia, and Ayesha, were sleeping in one of the rooms. Two of them were rescued with severe burns, but the youngest girl (Ayesha) was burnt to death inside. Belal was also badly burned.” Dr Arup Pal, residential medical officer, said, “Two teenage girls and their father were brought to the emergency department with burn injuries around 2:00am. Belal Hossain has been admitted here, but the two girls were referred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, as their condition is critical. About 50-60% of their bodies have been burnt,” as quoted by The Daily Star. Hasibur Rahman, joint convener of Lakshmipur District BNP, condemned the incident and called for a proper investigation to identify and bring the perpetrators to justice. The incident comes amid a rising wave of violence and a worsening law and order situation across Bangladesh under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
