Boat capsize shatters dream of a family

Arif Billah
Collected

Twenty-year old Arif Billah was the eldest son of the family. He got enrolled at the Green Life Medical College in Dhaka this year. He dreamt of becoming a doctor and his family shared that dream for him too. But family's dreams were shattered after he died in a boat capsize.

A passenger boat capsized in Titas river at Laiska canal of Pattan union of Brahmanbaria's Bijoynagar upazila on Friday evening, killing at least 22 people. Arif Billah was on the boat.

According to several witnesses, many people had grabbed hold of Arif Billah in a bid to survive, but finally he himself died.

Arif Billah was from the village Chompok village of the upazila. He was the son of Zahirul Islam Bhuyian and Pervin Bhuiyan, both expatriates in Saudi Arabia. They are returning to the country following the death of their son and are expected to arrive on Saturday night.

The namaz-e-janaza of Arif Billah will be held on the Model High School ground near to the Champaknagar boat terminal on Sunday.

According to local and family sources, Arif’s father and two uncles run businesses in the city Dammam of Saudi Arabia. They live in a joint family. His two uncles are now in the country.

Arif’s grandfather Monirul Islam,uncle Omar Faruk, 35 and uncle Borhan Uddin, 30, were lamenting the loss of their beloved one saying all of their dreams have vanished in a blink of the eye.

Shahriar Islam, 20, a relative of Arif Billah, said he and Arif visited Sylhet two days ago. On Friday, Arif was going to the district town to help a friend buy a laptop but it turned out be his last trip, he lamented.

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