Nine members of the same family, including groom Sabbir, who were killed in a tragic road accident on the Khulna–Mongla highway in Bagerhat District’s Rampal Upazila, were laid to rest on Friday.

Their funeral prayers were held after Jummah prayers, followed by burial at the government graveyard in Mongla municipality.

A deep sense of mourning has gripped the area, with the atmosphere in Shelabunia village heavy with the cries of grieving relatives and neighbours.

Local resident Firoz Sikdar said that Abdur Razzak had five sons and one daughter. In Thursday’s accident, two of his sons, one daughter, a daughter-in-law and four grandchildren lost their lives. Three of his sons and their mother are the only surviving members of the immediate family.

Ashraful Alam Jony, Abdur Razzak’s eldest son, who lost his wife, one son and two daughters in the crash, broke down in tears while speaking to reporters. “Everything is gone. I have lost my wife, children, brothers and sister. I am all alone now,” he said.

Golam Md Baten, Deputy Commissioner of Bagerhat, and Hasan Chowdhury, Superintendent of Police, visited the accident site and the homes of the victims.

The deputy commissioner said financial assistance would be provided to the affected families. He added that compensation would be given from the district administration’s relief fund, the district council and under Section 54 of the Road Transport Act for each of the deceased family members. He also confirmed that the family of the microbus driver, Md Naim Sheikh, had already received Tk50,000 from the district administration.

The tragic accident occurred on Thursday afternoon after Sabbir, son of Abdur Razzak from Shelabunia area of Ward No. 8 under Mongla municipality, married Marzia Akter of Naksha village in Koyra Upazila of Khulna District.

While the wedding party was returning, the microbus carrying the groom’s side collided head-on with a staff bus of the Bangladesh Navy near the Belai Bridge area on the Khulna–Mongla highway, leaving several people dead on the spot.

Those killed from the groom’s family include Abdur Razzak, president of Ward No. 8 unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Mongla municipality; his son, groom Ahadur Rahman Sabbir; Sabbir’s brother Abdullah Sani; sister Umme Sumaiya Oishi; Oishi’s son Samiul Islam Fahim; the wife of Ashraful Alam Jony, Farhana Siddika Putul; and their children Alif, Arfa and Iram. The microbus driver, Md Naim Sheikh of Rampal, was also among the deceased.

From the bride’s side, the victims were newlywed Marzia Akter (Mitu), her younger sister Lamia Akter, grandmother Rashida Begum and maternal grandmother Anwara Begum. Their home is in Naksha village of Koyra upazila in Khulna.

FP/A