N’ganj fire: An unsaid final goodbye to a mother

Seven-year-old Shoma was inconsolable. She had been waiting outside the DMCH morgue since morning to catch one last glimpse of her mother Amita Begum. 

When her mother's coffin was brought out, the reality of the situation sunk in on Shoma and she began to cry. The charred remains of her parent, however, meant that Shoma would not be able to bid a loving farewell. There would be no final glances either. 

Just when things could not get worse, it did. 

A family feud broke out over who would take the body. Would it be her father Saleem Miah or would be Amita's mother? 

As Amita's sister Rozina had given her DNA to be matched, it was decided that Amita's blood relatives would get the body. 

When the coffin was lifted onto an ambulance and being driven away, Shoma tried to stop it. She wanted to go with her mother. 

At the same time, her father too had broken down. Torn between the two, all young Shoma could do is wail and beg for someone to make sense of it all for her.

Amrita's husband Selim Mia complained, "they did not take us with them. The in-laws took Tk2 lakh the authorities gave as compensation. If more compensation is given, they will take the money."

The bodies of the victims of the fire at Hashem Foods factory in Rupganj, Narayanganj were kept in the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue. CID collected DNA samples from 68 relatives to identify 48 bodies.

The process of handing over the bodies started after 12 noon on Saturday. It ends at 1:20 pm.

However, a CID official present at the Dhaka Medical College morgue said that Amrita was Selim's second wife. The body has been handed over to her mother due to family fued.