Woman dies nine days after ‘bomb’ blast at home in Barishal

A 50-year-old woman died in Dhaka on Wednesday (August 12), nine days after suffering severe burns in an explosion at her home in Bakerganj of Barishal.

Hanufa Begum died while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital, after sustaining extensive burns in the August 3 blast in Dudhoulmau village of Bharpasha union.

The explosion occurred in the morning at the home of Shah Alam Hawlader, reportedly involving a sandbag kept beside the house. Hanufa, her daughter Iti Akter and grandson Fahim were injured in the blast and later transferred to the Dhaka burn institute for advanced treatment.

Doctors said a large portion of Hanufa’s body had been burned. Despite nine days of intensive treatment, she succumbed to her injuries.

Police are investigating how an explosive or explosive-like object ended up inside the sandbag and whether anyone was involved. No separate case is being filed following Hanufa’s death; police are instead moving to add a murder charge to the existing case.

Iti has been discharged after treatment, while Fahim remains hospitalized.