He had a choice: Starving to death

Injured Tara trying to help his daughter at RMCH yesterday noon. He was unaware that his son had already died. Photo: Star

The end of the harvest season left him without job for about a month. The little money and food that he had saved were all gone. Forty-year-old Tara Mia knew staying home would result in the starvation of his four-member family.

“I had only one option … go to Dhaka and find work,” he said lying in a bed at Rangpur Medical College Hospital. “I knew people were getting killed in arson attacks. But I had to take the risk for the sake of my wife and children,” said Tara, a victim of the arson attack in Gaibandha Friday.

“Please ask them [alleged blockaders] to shoot us dead, not kill us in this inhuman way,” he pleaded to The Daily Star correspondent around noon yesterday.

Tara Mia did not know the fate of his wife Sonavan and 12-year-old son Sujan. He asked this correspondent about them.

He was not told that Sujan had already died around four hours ago. His wife also died around 4:00pm.

“None of my family members is involved in politics. So, why should we be the victim of politics,” Tara asked.

“I was going to Dhaka to look for a job and support my family."

He did not even have the money to buy bus tickets for Dhaka. His elder son, who works in a garment factory in Dhaka, sent money for tickets. He along with his wife, daughter and the other son got on a bus for Dhaka from Secha Panchpir Bazar of Sundarganj in Gaibandha around 9:30pm Friday.

“Initially, we all were scared. But we felt relieved when we saw police and BGB [Border Guard Bangladesh] vehicles escorting a convoy of buses, including ours,” said Tara.

The escorts could not protect them. Alleged blockaders hurled a petrol bomb at their bus in Tulsighat area of Gaibandha around 10:45pm.

“All windows of the bus were kept closed as it was cold. Most passengers were asleep. Suddenly, there was a bang,” said Tara, adding that the bus caught fire immediately and all were trying to get out.

“I broke a window and pushed my daughter Tanjina out. Then I jumped out. My wife Sonavan and son Sujan also managed to get down even though they were critically injured,” he said.

“Passengers were screaming as they were getting burnt.”

The injuries of Tara and his daughter were not as severe as that of Sujan and Sonavan. Doctors said the father and daughter were out of danger.

The bodies of the mother and son were taken to Chandnipur of Sundarganj. Tara and his daughter might not be able to attend their funeral.