Patuakhali Correspondent

Gazi Muhammad Jewel Rana, who used to work as a chef in ‘Ambasia’ restaurant of the blaze-hit Bailey Road building, met a dreadful death when he jumped off it in a desperate bid to save his life.

The lone bread earner’s sudden death came as a bolt from the blue for Jewel’s poor family. “My son has left us, what we’ll do now,” Jewel’s wailing mother Fatema Begum said when his body was taken to Madhukhali village in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district on Friday from Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

A pall of gloom descended the area when Jewel, 35, was laid to eternal rest at his family graveyard there after Asar prayers.

He along with his wife Rebeka Sultana, two children—Tasmim, 8 and Taifur, 3—used to live in an area in Dhaka near Baily Road.

On the fateful night, Jewel jumped off the sixth floor of the multi-story building after breaking the windowpanes to save himself, Rakib Akon, nephew of Jewel, who used to work in the same restaurant, told UNB over the phone.

Rakib said when the fire broke out, he along with his uncle and another staff came down the fourth floor of the building. “At first, he and another one climbed down from the building using a dish cable. After breaking the windowpanes my uncle sat on an air-conditioner to jump from it but the air-conditioner collapsed,” said Rakib.

Jewel got severe injuries on his head and body while falling from the building and died on the spot, he said.

Local people said Jewel could not come to the village for the wedding ceremony of her sister Hafiza one month ago as he failed to manage leave. He had a plan to come to his village before the month of Ramadan.

Kawsar Gazi, a UP member of Mithaganj Union, said Jewel’s father is a day labourer and the family was dependent on Jewel’s income.

Now the whole family is shattered over his unexpected death.

Jahangir Hossain, Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer assured that the local administration will provide necessary assistance to the family.

At least 46 people, including 26 women and three children, were killed and 22 critically injured in the fire that broke out at the seven-storey ‘Green Cozy’ building on Bailey Road in Dhaka on Thursday night.