‘Recite me the Kalima’ – a son’s last words to his father
Mominul Hoque had just started working after completing his undergraduate in economics from Mohsin College in Chattogram. His plan was to work for at least a year to support his family going through financial hardships and pursue his ambitions of higher education.
But all his dreams were burnt to ashes on Satruday night when a massive fire, followed by multiple explosions, rocked the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram.
According to latest reports, at least 16 people died and more than 200, including cops and fire service officials, got injured in the horrific fire incident.
Mominul, who was working as a computer operator at the depot, was one of them.
"I could hear his screams over the phone. He was crying out loud – 'Father, there are explosions taking place [at the depot] one after the other," Faridul Islam, his father, said while wiping his tears.
"Then after some time Mominul called again and said, 'Father, I have lost one of my legs in the blast. Please recite me the Kalima.' These were his last words to me," the grief-stricken father added.
After the phone call ended, Faridul informed his relatives in Chattogram city and asked them to go check at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) – where most of the victims have been taken – in search of his son.
Later his uncle Khorshed Alam came to the hospital and identified Mominul's dead body.
Speaking with The Business Standard, Mominul's cousin Tayeb said, "He wanted to work for some time to help his family. He wanted to complete his masters."
"But all that are now just memories."
"Mominul went to the depot at around 8pm. An hour later he called me and said - 'Save me, brother.' After that, I came to the CMCH and found him dead," Tayeb added.
Over 25 firefighting are trying to bring the blaze under control.
Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence Assistant Director Faruk Hossain said the sound of a large explosion rocked the area around 9:45pm on Saturday.
"The explosion was heard within a radius of 4km from the spot," Faruk noted.
President of the association of inland container depot owners Nurul Qayum Khan said there was a container of hydrogen peroxide at the depot for shipment and that might be the reason behind the big blast.
Chattogram Civil Surgeon Ilias Chowdhury has requested everyone to rush to the blood bank of CMCH and donate blood.
Doctors from nearby government and private hospitals have been requested to report to CMCH to provide services to huge number of injured patients.
Officials have said that more than 200 people have been admitted to the CMCH, Parkview Hospital, and Combined Military Hospital.
Some 30 of them are in critical condition.
Most of the injured are at risk
Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, head of CMCH's burn and plastic surgery unit, said that several patients had to be kept on normal beds due to the lack of space at the hospital.
"Of the patients admitted at the hospital, 17 have burned their respiratory tracts. Anything can happen at any time," Dr Liton, registrar of CMCH's burn unit, informed.
Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammad Elias Chowdhury said, "Those who have burned their airways will soon need ICU support. Several private hospitals have been asked to help us in this regard.
"The condition of the 15 victims currently undergoing treatment at the Parkview Hospital of the port city is very critical. Some have lost their arms, some their legs in the explosion.
"One has been sent to Dhaka. Their family members have been told to prepare for the worse."
