Wedding joy turns to mourning as 14 bodies return to village

Marzia Akhtar Mitu had left her father's house with the wedding procession, wearing the brown Benarasi saree from her wedding night, mehendi still fresh on her hands, jewellery adorning her, and dreams of a new life. But before she could reach her husband's home, all her dreams came to a halt on the Khulna-Mongla highway. She lost her life in a head-on collision between a microbus and a navy bus, and her husband Ahadur Rahman Sabbir also perished in the accident.

On the other side, BNP leader Abdur Razzak and his relatives were supposed to arrive at their home in Shelabunia, Mongla upazila, today with their new daughter-in-law. Relatives and neighbours were waiting to welcome the bride and groom. Had everything gone as planned, the household would have been filled with the traditional village rituals of welcoming the newly-weds, feasting, and the joyful noise of children this morning. But the road accident has snatched away all the laughter and joy from this home. Where just hours ago there was the atmosphere of a wedding, there is now mourning.

Ahadur Rahman Sabbir from Shelabunia village in Mongla married Marzia Akhtar Mitu from Naksa village in Koyra on Wednesday night. After the wedding ceremonies, on Thursday morning, the groom, bride, and relatives from both sides set off for Mongla in a microbus. But when they reached the Belai Bridge area in Rampal in the afternoon, the microbus was crushed in a head-on collision with a navy bus, resulting in the deaths of 14 people, one after another, at the scene and on the way to hospital.

The deceased are: groom Ahadur Rahman Sabbir, bride Marzia Akhtar Mitu, bride's sister Lamia, bride's grandmother Anwara Begum, bride's grandmother Rashida Begum, groom's father and President of Mongla Municipality Ward 8 BNP Abdur Razzak, Anjuman, Putul, Aishi, driver Nayem Sheikh, child Iram, Samiul, Alif and Abdullah.

Late at night, the bodies were handed over to the families without autopsies. Nine bodies were taken to Mongla, four to Koyra, and the microbus driver's body was taken to Rampal.

The incident has cast a shadow of grief over Shelabunia village in Mongla. Neighbours and relatives are preparing for the burials. It has been learned that the bodies will be buried after Jummah prayers. Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam is expected to attend the funeral.

The groom's brother Jony said, "Everything is over for me. I have lost my wife, children, brothers and sisters. I am alone." The grieving Jony could not speak much.

Katakhali Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Zafar Ahmed said that upon the families' application, the bodies were handed over without autopsies.