Schoolteacher Monica Rani Haldar (40) was burnt in a fire that broke out on MV Abhiyan-10 launch in Sugandha river in Jhalokati. He was treated for 25 days at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute. He died at 9:30 pm on Tuesday (January 18).
Monica Rani Haldar was working as an assistant teacher at Gagan Memorial Secondary School in Barguna. Her husband is Babu Bankim Chandra Majumder, a retired teacher of Fuljhuri Multipurpose Secondary School in Barguna Sadar. He too was burnt to death in the same launch fire and is undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
The body of school teacher Monica Rani arrived in Barguna around 1.30 pm on Wednesday (January 19). He was first taken to the Gagan Memorial Secondary School premises in the city. After reciting the Gita and paying homage to the teachers, students and locals, he was taken to his village home in Phuljhuri for burial.
Gagan Memorial Secondary School headmaster Anwar Hossain said Monica Rani Haldar, an assistant teacher, went to Dhaka on December 19 last year for medical checkup. After the treatment there, the husband and wife were returning to Abhiyan-10 launch. He was scheduled to take classes at his school on December 24. He returned to school, but became a corpse. We, the teachers and students of the school, are all mourning his death. Monica Rani Haldar’s son Bikash said she was first taken to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital after being burnt. He was later taken to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for advanced treatment. He died after being in ICU for 25 days.
Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute Resident Surgeon. SM Ayub Hossain said 30 percent of his body was burnt. He was kept in ICU from the beginning. If the condition worsens, he is later taken to life support. He died after being treated there. Deputy Commissioner of Barguna Habibur Rahman said that so far 48 bodies have arrived in Barguna. Of these, 24 were buried in mass graves as their identities were not known. The rest were identified and taken away by their relatives. Assistance of Tk 25,000 has been provided for burial of the deceased.
Incidentally, a fire broke out on December 23 at around 3 am when the Barguna-bound MV Expedition-10 launch was crossing the Sugandha river in Jhalokati. The bodies of 47 people who were rescued in the incident and died while undergoing treatment have so far arrived in Barguna. Three cases have been registered in Barguna, Jhalokati and Dhaka in this regard. Five people, including the owner of the launch, are in jail in these cases.
