Bangladesh Unrest: Mob Sets BNP Leader’s Home Ablaze; 7-Year-Old Daughter Dies | World News

A 7-year-old girl, daughter of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Belal Hossain, died when a gang set their house on fire in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila on Saturday, Daily Star reported. His father, a businessman and Bhabaniganj Union BNP secretary, and his sisters Salma (16) and Samia (14) were seriously injured in the fire that broke out at 01:00 at night.

The incident took place around 1 am at the house of businessman Belal Hossain, deputy organizing secretary of Bhabaniganj Union BNP. During the fire, Belal and his two daughters (16-year-old Salma Akter and 14-year-old Samia Akter) were injured with severe burns.

Belal’s mother, Hazera Begum, said that when she woke up at around 01:00 at night, she saw her son’s tin shack on fire, and although both doors were locked from the outside, Belal managed to break one of the doors and escape with his wife Nazma, their four-month-old baby Abir Hossain, and their six-year-old son Habib.

“I slept after dinner. I woke up around 01:00 at night and saw from the window that my son’s tin hut was on fire. I ran screaming, but I saw that both doors of the house were locked from the outside. I could not get in. Finally, my son managed to break the door and escape. His wife Nazma also managed to get out with their four-month-old baby Abir Hossain and their six-year-old son Habib.” Hazara Begum sings.

A police official told The Daily Star: “We are investigating the perpetrators and their motives.”

Dr Arup Pal, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital, said that two young girls and their father arrived at the emergency room around 2 am with severe burns. Belal Hossain’s admission to the hospital continues, but the girls, who were 50-60 percent burned, were taken to Dhaka National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in critical condition.

“The two young girls and their father were brought to the emergency room around 2 am with burn injuries. Belal Hossain was admitted there, but the two girls were referred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka as their condition was critical. About 50-60% of their bodies were burnt,” Dr Pal was quoted as saying by Daily Star.

This incident comes after violence broke out in Bangladesh a day after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi, a prominent youth leader, was shot in the head by masked attackers on December 12. Although he received treatment abroad, he died from his injuries in Singapore on December 18. Protests escalated, with mobs setting fire to a news channel in Dhaka, targeting India’s diplomatic facilities and attacking former Awami League properties. His funeral attracted large crowds under tight security in Dhaka on December 20.