Mother, son die in Narsingdi arson attack

Two people, including a mother and her son, who were undergoing treatment after being severely burned in an arson attack in Narsingdi, have died. The victims were identified as Rina Begum, 38 and her son Farhad, 15.

They succumbed to their injuries at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka — Rina in the morning and Farhad around noon on Tuesday, October 29, confirmed Narsingdi Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Sujan Chandra Sarker.

According to Resident Surgeon Shaon Bin Rahman, Rina sustained burns on 58 percent of her body, while Farhad suffered 40 percent burns. Their bodies have been kept at the hospital morgue for post-mortem examination.

Rina’s younger son, Tawhid, 7, remains hospitalised with 16 percent burns. Her elder son, Jihad, 24, sister Salma Begum, 34, and nephew Arafat, 15 have returned home after receiving primary treatment.

The incident occurred around 3 am last Wednesday at Ghoradia area under Chinishpur Union in Narsingdi Sadar Upazila. According to police, a pickup driver named Farid Mia, 44 allegedly poured petrol on his sleeping wife and children before setting them on fire and fleeing the scene.

Police and locals said Rina had been living at her father’s home due to marital disputes. Farid reportedly went there in the dead of night, set the victims ablaze, and locked the door from outside. Neighbours rushed to the spot upon hearing screams, broke open the tin-shed house door, and rescued six people.

After receiving an emergency call to 999, police arrived and, with local assistance, took the victims to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. Five of them were later transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment.

The next day, Rina’s mother Hosna Begum filed a case with Narsingdi Model Police Station, naming Farid as the sole accused. He was later arrested from Baraicha area in Raipura on Saturday night with local help.

Additional SP Sujan Chandra Sarker said that with Rina and Farhad’s deaths, the case will now be treated as a murder case. Farid is currently in prison.