Highlights:
- Rafi, a medical student, dies after a building railing collapses during the massive earthquake
- Mother critically injured, currently in the operation theatre
- Family from Bogura, father in Dinajpur; only sister rushed to the hospital
- Earthquake magnitude recorded at 5.7 with epicentre in Narsingdi’s Madhabdi
- Also three others killed in Bangshal as a five-storey building’s railing collapsed
A devastating incident unfolded during the massive earthquake that struck Dhaka and several parts of the country. Rafi, a student of the 52nd batch of Sir Salimullah Medical College, lost his life while his mother, still in the operation theatre, remains unaware of his death.
His home district is Bogura. He had one sister, and their father works in Dinajpur. Although Rafi had secured a hostel seat, he lived with his mother and sister at their residence in Dhaka.
According to his classmate Apu, Rafi went to buy meat with his mother on Friday (21 November) morning. They were standing in front of Nayon’s butcher shop in Kosaituli, Banshal, when the earthquake struck. The violent tremor caused the railing of the shop’s building to collapse onto them.
Locals rushed to the spot, rescued them, and took them to the hospital. Doctors declared Rafi dead upon arrival. Video footage shows that the front part of his head and his face sustained severe crushing injuries.
Hospital sources confirmed that Rafi’s mother has been taken to the operation theatre, where her treatment is ongoing. She has not yet been informed about Rafi’s death. Although she is critically injured, doctors believe she is not in life-threatening condition. However, she is in deep trauma.
Meanwhile,his only sister rushed to the hospital upon hearing the tragic news. The sight of her brother’s lifeless body and her mother’s suffering has left her shattered.
Read More: Massive Earthquake Felt in Dhaka and Several Parts of the Country
At 10:38 AM, a strong earthquake was felt across Dhaka and various parts of Bangladesh. Several buildings in the capital reported tilting and structural damage.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at 10:38:26 AM, with its epicentre in Madhabdi, Narsingdi. Its magnitude was 5.7 on the Richter scale, considered a moderate-level quake.
Bangshal Police Station’s duty officer told that the collapse of a five-storey building’s railing in Kosaituli killed three pedestrians.
Rafi is one of them. Details of the other two victims, including a child, are yet to be confirmed. Their bodies have been kept at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford).
Assistant Commissioner (DC) of Lalbagh Division, Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami, said that two people died on the spot when a portion of the building collapsed. Another victim died at the hospital.
Source: Somoy News tv
