Burial of Rafiqul, Killed in the Earthquake, Completed Without Acknowledgement of Mother

ছবিঃ সিএনআই

Bogura Correspondent: The burial of Rafiqul Islam Rafi (22), a medical student from Bogura who was killed in Friday’s devastating earthquake in Dhaka, has been completed. His funeral prayer (Janaza) was held on Saturday after Dhuhr at the Sutrapur Central Eidgah Maidan in Bogura city, with people from all walks of life attending. After Asr, Rafiqul was laid to rest at the Namzogor Anjuman Cemetery in Bogura.

During the Janaza, Rafiqul’s father, Osman Gani, said that Rafiqul’s mother is still in the hospital. She was brought from Dhaka to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital for treatment and has not yet been informed of her son’s death.

He added, “Because of this, we had planned to wait a bit after the Janaza, perhaps bury him after Asr. I still don’t know how to tell his mother. The doctors said she must not be under any stress for 72 hours. We had waited until Asr to inform her, but as she remained unconscious, we had to proceed with the burial without telling her. Everyone, please pray for my son and forgive us.”

Rafiqul was a second-year student of the 52nd batch at Sir Salimullah Medical College. Earlier, he completed his SSC from Armed Police Battalion School and College, Bogura, and HSC from Bogura Cantonment Public School and College. His family lived in “Romisha Villa” beside Mission Hospital in the Khandar area of Bogura city. He was the younger of two siblings; his elder sister, Raisa, is currently in her final year of honours studies.

Rafiqul’s father is the principal of a government technical college. After the first Janaza at Sir Salimullah Medical College in Dhaka, Rafiqul’s body was brought to Bogura on Saturday around 11:30 AM.

During the earthquake, Rafiqul’s mother, who was with him, fell ill at the site and was later admitted to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura. Family members said that by noon, she had still not been informed of Rafiqul’s death. On Friday, while going out with his mother to buy meat, Rafiqul was trapped under the rubble and killed. His death has caused deep grief among family, classmates, and acquaintances.