All of Ayesha’s dreams were burned to ashes

“Ayesha was her father’s beloved child. He always looked after her. She used to call him ‘Baba’ and talk a lot with him. She had many dreams—all of them were burned to ashes. I just want to see her face one last time.” Saying this, Nazma Akhtar, the mother of seven-year-old Ayesha who died after being burned in a fire, was crying inconsolably.

She is unable to accept the situation. Sometimes she sits in the hospital corridor crying, sometimes she bursts into wailing. She says, “I want justice for my daughter’s killers.”

Late Friday night, miscreants poured petrol and set fire to the house of BNP leader Belal Hossain in the Charmansa area of Bhabaniganj under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila. Locals said Belal Hossain is the joint organizing secretary of Bhabaniganj Union BNP under the Sadar upazila. On Friday night, he was sleeping at his house in the Charmansa area with his wife and children. In the deep night, miscreants locked the door from outside, poured petrol, and set the house on fire. The fire spread rapidly in all directions. As a result, sleeping Ayesha was burned to death. Belal Hossain and his other two daughters were also burned. Later, locals rescued the three and admitted them to the Sadar Hospital.

Belal Hossain’s elder daughter Salma Akhtar is an eleventh-grade student of Bhabaniganj College. She is currently undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Another daughter, Bithi Akhtar, who was also burned, is receiving treatment in Dhaka.

Ayesha’s mother said, “The terrorists poured petrol and set fire to our house after locking the door from outside with the intention of killing our entire family. Allah did not save us all—He took away my Ayesha. Everything is finished for me.”

Deceased Ayesha Akhtar was a student of the local Five Star School. The child’s father, Md. Belal Hossain, is a businessman. He is also undergoing treatment at the hospital after being burned.

The funeral prayer of Ayesha Akhtar was held today, Saturday afternoon. At that time, Ayesha’s mother collapsed to the ground. While wailing, she kept saying only one thing—“I want nothing else. I only want justice for my daughter’s killers.”

Locals said that cash money, a motorcycle, and business goods kept in Belal Hossain’s house were burned in the fire.