“Will I have to live without my mother?”: 4-year-old Maimuna asks her father

Six days after giving birth to her third child, Meherun Nesa, 25, was busy hosting the guests at a grand aqiqah ceremony organised to celebrate the newborn. She later had a fever the following day. Her physical condition deteriorated rapidly thereafter. Just 13 days after giving birth, Meherun Nesa passed away.

Meherun was the wife of Monirul Islam from Member Bari in the Masterhat area of Shikolbaha Union in Karnaphuli Upazila, Chattogram. She died of dengue last Friday (6 November). The couple have three daughters. Their two older daughters are seven and just over four years old.

Ever since their mother’s death, the two older daughters have spent their days in tears. While the eldest daughter Miftahul Jannat weeps silently, the second daughter Maimuna Jannat frequently breaks down into loud sobs. Over and over, she asks her father, "Will I have to live without my mother?"

Monirul Islam has no answer to his daughter's question. He is also devastated by his wife's death. Whenever Meherun's name comes up, he silently wipes away his tears.

During a visit to their home at around 4:30 pm on Monday, Monirul was seen sitting inside the house while his two daughters, Miftahul and Maimuna, were in the courtyard. Relatives were coming and going, stopping along the way to gently pat the girls on the head.

Monirul said his youngest daughter Nusaiba Jannat was born on 25 October. The family arranged her aqiqah ceremony six days later. Meherun developed a fever the following day. She initially bought medicine from a pharmacy but there was no improvement. Her temperature eventually reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit. A physician then advised a dengue test.

The test confirmed that Meherun had dengue. She was taken to a private hospital in the city, where physicians admitted her to the intensive care unit (ICU).

As her condition worsened, she was transferred to another private hospital on Thursday afternoon. She was placed on life support that night. The attending physician declared her dead the following day, on Friday.

Monirul said he married Meherun in 2019. Fighting back tears, he said, “It is extremely difficult for me to accept my wife's death. My youngest daughter, Nusaiba, has not even had the chance to know what a mother's affection feels like. How will I manage with three little children? Who will take care of my youngest?”

Monirul said his seven-year-old daughter had become unusually quiet since her mother's death, while the four-year-old constantly looked for her mother.

Meherun's father, Abu Taher, was also at Monirul's house. “I can hardly console Monirul. My heart aches for my three granddaughters,” he said.