Amid Covid-19 fears, she was left unburied. Until Sonatala UNO stepped forward

Two days ago, Rina Begum died after showing Covid-19 symptoms, along with contracting pneumonia, at Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital at 3pm.

While she had shown the symptoms, no tests had been done for Covid-19. Amid a flurry of rumours and fears, Rina Begum was left unburied.

That is until the intervention of Sonatala Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sadia Afrin who decided to perform Rina's burial ritual,

Rostam Ali Mandal, chairman of Jorgachha Union, said "The people of the village were afraid to  go near the deceased. Later, the UNO was called around 10 pm. An hour later, she came and performed the ritual herself. Rina was then buried at around 2am. At this time, 30 to 40 people from the area participated in her namaz-e-janaza".

UNO Sadia Afrin said there was panic among people because of the coronavirus. For this reason, no one came to perform the rituals.

"After receiving the chairman's call, I went to the spot and did the rituals. A local woman accompanied me," she said.

She added that Rina's daughter had repeatedly claimed that her mother was not infected with corona. However, Rina had shown symptoms and also had pneumonia which led to her death.

Sonatala Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rezaul Karim Reza said, "The woman's husband is suffering from coronavirus. Rina was taking care of her husband. She died showing corona symptoms."