Elderly woman burnt to death

A 75-year-old woman was burnt to death in a fire originating from an electric short circuit at her house in Nesarabad upazila of the district on Monday night.

The deceased, Fatima Begum, was a resident of Dakkhin Sohagdal village in the upazila.

Hasibur Rahman, member of Ward No 7 under Sohagdal union parishad, said Fatima, a paralyzed woman, used to live at her daughter Sufia's house at the village for the last three years.

The incident occurred when Sufia, wife of madrasa teacher Abdus Sattar, went to watch television at a nearby house, keeping her mother asleep.

The fire broke out, originating from an electric short circuit, around 8:30pm and soon engulfed the house and the one owned by Sattar's brother Abdur Rahim, the members said.

Fatima met the tragic end as she was sleeping during that time.

Hasibur said the extent of loss caused by the fire could go up to Tk 9 lakh.