<i>Living with remains of the tragedy</i>

An official counsels Sima Akhtar, traumatised by the death of her husband in Nimtoli fire, at a medical camp yesterday. The army set the temporary camp in the area to provide mental healthcare to the survivors of the blaze. Left, Sima's three-year-old son Sabbir and her brother.

It's very difficult for witnesses to hold back tears when five-year-old Reema, daughter of grocer Abdur Rahim who was burned alive in June 3 Nimtoli inferno, often habitually rushes to the gutted shop.
Reema was told that her father died. But she does not realise the aftermath of the catastrophic fire that claimed 119 lives and still looks for the shop and her father.
Asked about her father, she just said "he died" and ran through a narrow alley with a smile on her face.
It seems there was no difference between Rahim's daughter and his octogenarian father Abul Hossain, who also often comes to the ruins looking for his son.
Neighbours and locals say Abul Hossain often loses his memories and roams around the area alone and looks for something here and there.
They add everything has suddenly turned uncertain at the declining years of the octogenarian's life, as his son was the only breadwinner of the family.
Abdur Rahim, 35, left behind his wife Hasina Akhter Lucky, 25, three-month-old son Arafat and 70-year-old mother. The family now faces a welter of uncertainty.
During a visit to the family, Lucky was found weeping with her three-month-old baby on the lap, while her mother-in-law was just sitting beside her lost and speechless.
"We have a few cases of soft drinks stored for the shop but no food or money," said Lucky, who does not know how to brave forward with two children and aged parents-in-law.
In another part of the area yesterday afternoon, A-level student Adeeb Rahman, 18, was seen almost going insane in front of the five-storey abandoned building from where the fire broke out.
He tried to storm into the sealed-off building apparently to kill its owners. As he was resisted, he swooped on the members of army, police and Rab and some locals. He desperately kicked them off and tried to beat them up with a chair. At one stage he fell unconscious.
Dhaka City Corporation Ward-69 councillor Mohammad Mohan told The Daily Star, "The boy lost his mental balance after witnessing the catastrophe."
"Adeeb rescued his mother Fouzia Rahman, sister Alvi Rahman and domestic help Jyotsna from their house in a three-storey building," Mohan said.
His mother and sister are undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, but Jyotsna died a day after the inferno.
Seventy-year-old Shamsunnahar, who miraculously survived with her 12-member family, was mumbling continuously at the ruins of her house. She was seen narrating how they escaped the devastating blaze.
"It was a storm with waves of fire. We all 12 were in the house when the fire started. Suddenly we sensed danger and just ran out of the house and through a narrow lane. I cannot say how I could run so fast at the age of 70."
She added, "Though I have lost my house and everything we had, it does not worry me. But I cannot bear the pain from seeing the dead bodies of my neighbours and their children," said Shamsunnahar, sobbing.
Meanwhile, the army have set up a counselling centre in the Ponchayet Committee office to counsel the survivors suffering psychologically. Two doctors from the Army Medical Corps were found counselling there.
DCC councillor Mohan said so far four survivors were counselled at the Ponchayet Committee office where the army personnel set up a coordination centre.
Officials from the coordination centre say they are also continuing supply of food to the survivors.
Two burn victims were released from the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday, while 23 others were still undergoing treatment.
Besides, 12 others are also receiving treatment the Combined Military Hospital (CMH).