UNB

Seven months after mourning the death of a father working abroad, a Shariatpur family has been shattered once again -- this time by an even more devastating tragedy.

Their youngest member, Abdullah Shamim, 14, a bright Class VI student at Milestone School and College in Dhaka, lost his life in a tragic aircraft crash on campus.

The shocking incident has plunged the grieving family into silence and disbelief, as loved ones now demand a thorough investigation and urgent action.

Abdullah Shamim was the youngest son of Abul Kalam Majhi and Julekha Begum, residents of Majhikandi in Dmkhali, under Bhedarganj upazila of Shariatpur.

The family had been living in Diabari Khalpar area of Uttara, Dhaka.

From a young age, Shamim had shown remarkable academic promise and dreamt of becoming a doctor. Initially enrolled in a madrasa, he was later admitted to Class VI at Milestone School and College in Uttara to further his education.

His father, Abul Kalam Majhi, died in December last year while working in Saudi Arabia.

Since then, Shamim had been living under the care and affection of his mother, elder brother, and sister.

On Monday, as usual, he was attending classes with his fellows when a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet suddenly crashed into one of the school’s buildings, just 10 minutes before the scheduled tiffin break.

The deafening crash left many injured, including Shamim.

Members of the armed forces arrived promptly at the scene and rescued the injured, informing family members shortly afterwards.

Shamim was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital by ambulance and admitted to the burn unit due to the severity of his injuries. Despite all efforts, he succumbed to his injuries later that night around 11 pm.

As the tragic news of his death reached his ancestral village, a blanket of mourning descended over the entire community.

On Tuesday morning, Shamim’s body was brought back to his native home in Majhikandi. After the janaza prayer held at 9 am on the grounds of Char Vayra High School, he was laid to rest beside his father’s grave in the family cemetery. His relatives remain inconsolable, with his mother Julekha Begum frequently falling unconscious from grief.

Shamim shared a close bond with his cousin, Abdullah Hossain.

Whenever Shamim visited the village, the two would spend all their time together.  In Dhaka, Shamim would take Abdullah sightseeing whenever he came to visit.

Now, mourning the loss of his childhood companion, Abdullah broke down in tears and said, “We grew up together. I didn’t know anything about Dhaka—he showed me around. Today, Shamim left me alone. How will I live without him?”

Another cousin, Barek Hossain, said, “He was very dear to us. We loved him so much because he was polite, gentle, and brilliant. Our uncle died in Saudi Arabia seven months ago. Before we could recover from that, our beloved Shamim also left us. Please keep him in your prayers so that Almighty Allah grants him Jannatul Ferdous.”

Shamim’s uncle Saiful Islam, who dearly loved his young nephew, is also struggling to come to terms with the loss.

Fighting back tears, he said, “From childhood, my nephew was very intelligent. He dreamed of becoming a doctor. After his father passed away, we all tried to shelter him with love. Now, he too has left us, resting forever beside his father. His dream of becoming a doctor has remained just that—a dream.”