After 7-Year-Old Daughter, BNP Leader’s Elder Daughter Dies in Bangladesh Arson Attack
In an incident of arson at the house of BNP leader Belal Hossain in Lakshmipur, his college-going daughter who had been undergoing treatment at the hospital after sustaining burn injuries has died. She died on Wednesday night at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. Earlier, Belal Hossain’s seven-year-old daughter Ayesha Akhtar also died after being burned in the same fire.
The deceased college student’s name was Salma Akhtar, also known as Smriti (17). Professor Mohammad Rabiul Karim Khan, head of the Lavender Unit at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, confirmed her death. Salma was a first-year student (Class 11) at Bhabaniganj College in the district. She was married on 5 December. Her husband is an expatriate living in Oman.
Salma’s maternal uncle, Md. Masud, said that around 90 percent of her body was burned in the fire. After being taken to Dhaka, doctors made their utmost efforts to save her. However, in the end, she succumbed to her injuries.
Belal Hossain is a resident of the Sutargupta area of Charmanasa village under Bhabaniganj Union in Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila. He is the joint organizing secretary of the BNP in that union. A fire broke out at his house late Friday night. He claimed that the house was set on fire by locking the door from the outside and pouring petrol inside. His seven-year-old daughter Ayesha Akhtar died on the same day after being burned in the fire.
In the same incident, Belal Hossain and his two daughters, Bithi Akhtar (14) and Salma Akhtar (17), were also burned. Among them, Bithi received treatment and has returned home.
