Runa's dream turns into nightmare

Expatriate Jamil of Hossaini Dalan came home three months ago to marry 19-year-old Runa Akhter of Nimtoli in Old Dhaka. The engagement of the two was arranged on Thursday night.
Family members and relatives were in a festive mood as they gathered at Runa's house to celebrate the occasion. Amid all that fun and joy, Jamil and Runa were dreaming of a new life.
But their dreams turned into a nightmare when a fierce fire broke out in the area.
The flames allegedly sparked from makeshift burners installed for preparing dishes for the function.
Yesterday, Runa's hands were coloured with henna, but tears were rolling down her cheeks.
She lost eight members of her family and relatives. Her mother Fatema, 55, aunts Afroza, 33, and Sajeda, 35, cousins Jyotsna, Anika, 12, Anik and Sayem and also Jyotsna's son Mukit died in the worst fire incident the capital has ever seen.
Groom Jamil, 28, lost his mother Shahzadi, 58, aunts Wahida, Waqar Fatema, 52, Fatema Begum, 50, brother Shimul Hossain, 26, Shimul's three-year old son Kumail, and relatives Hasan Ali Sirazi, Nusrat Begum, and Afroza Begum.
Runa and her elder sister Ratna had gone to a local beauty parlour half an hour before the blaze started. Their brother Faisal too survived as he was on the street to welcome the guests.
Jamil was at his home.
Runa's cousin Alamgir, who also accompanied Runa, said, "As we saw the fire plumes from the beauty parlour at Sat Rawza, half a mile away her residence, Runa made a phone call to Faisal who said their house caught fire."
"We started running but could not reach the house. The blaze had engulfed the entire area."