Uncertainty and panic grip the families of the missing passengers of the US-Bangla Airlines flight which crashed in Kathmandu, Nepal Monday afternoon as they wait for information on their loved ones.
Family members of Matiur Rahman Palash still do not know Palash's status since the accident. Palash, from Feni's Bagdana union under Sonagazi upazila, was a diploma engineer.
His brother Md Mizan said they were sure that Palash was travelling in that aircraft, but they did not find his name on the survivors' list. Since the accident, the family members have lost contact with him.
Khulna's Alifuzzaman Alif, from Rupsha upazila, who completed his masters from a local college, has also not been heard from since the crash, his family confirmed.
His relative Md Sabbir Khan said Alif caught a Dhaka flight from Jessore Monday morning to take the US-Bangla flight from Dhaka.
Barisal's Pias Roy caught the same flight to Nepal to meet his friends.
His father, a school teacher at Nalchhiti Upazila Sukhendu Bikash Roy, said Pias was his elder son and finished his final exam from a medical college in Gopalganj.
A couple from Chapainababganj, who were going to Nepal for a trip after their retirement died in the incident too. Nazrul Islam and Aktara Begum's family members said Aktara Begum was a game teacher at Rajshahi Mohila College and Nazrul Islam was an official of Rajshahi Shilpa Bank. He was a freedom fighter.
Jessore's Sanzida Haque, her husband Rafique Jaman and son Aniruddha Jaman were also on the list of deceased passengers.
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Sanzida's cousin Fazle Mahmud said that they heard about the death on TV.
Dr Rezwanul Haque Shaon, assistant registrar of Rangpur Medical College and Hospital, survived the accident but his wife Tahira Shashi did not. Rezwanul is under treatment at a Nepal hospital.
Meanwhile, Shahreen Ahmed, 29, who works in the administration of Scholastica School's junior campus in Uttara, survived the crash. She has been undergoing treatment for burn injuries at Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, reports The Himalayan Times (THT).
“I was travelling with my friend. When the aircraft was about to land it started turning left. People started shouting. We looked back and saw that the aircraft was on fire. My friend told me to run ahead of him.
“But while we were running fire engulfed him. He fell down. People were burning, shouting and were falling down. Three people jumped from the burning craft. It was horrific. Fortunately, someone pulled me to safety,” a teary-eyed Shahreen told THT.
Shahreen had planned to visit Kathmandu and Pokhara with her cousin and brother-in-law.
“She has a lisfranc injury on her right foot. We have put it in a cast. She will undergo surgery after the swelling subsides. She also suffered 18% burns on her back,” said Dr Nazir Khan, an ortho resident at the hospital.
Another Bangladeshi citizen, Mehdi Hasan, was travelling by air for the first time. His wife, cousin and her daughter were accompanying him.
“My seat was at the back. When I saw fire, I looked for my family. We tried to break open the window, but in vain. We were looking for someone to rescue us. My wife and I were rescued but my cousin and her daughter are missing,” he told THT.
Shahreen and Mehdi Hasan are among the 12 injured survivors undergoing treatment at Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital. Four others who were brought to the hospital have been referred to Grande International Hospital, Neuro Hospital and Nepal Mediciti Hospital. Representatives from Bangladesh High Commission visited the hospital.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
