The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

They lived in a thatched house but dreamed a better life. The husband earned livelihood by pulling rickshaw but prepared to observe their marriage day by cutting a cake with the name of his beloved wife on it embossed.

They came from Shiali village of Patuakhali Sadar upazila to Barisal city for earning and dreaming a better life for their only son. They started living in Barisal city renting a thatched house at West Kawnia area near Barisal weather office. But SIDR crushed not only their dreams but also their lives. It was a tragic tale of Ali Hossain, 26, Poppy Begum, 22, and their eight-month-old son Adnan.

On November 15 morning, Poppy requested Ali to return home early with some shopping and collecting the marriage day cake from the bakery shop to observe their 2nd marriage anniversary on November 16. As the weather was deteriorating and great danger signal announced, Ali returned home within noon with the cake and other items for the ceremony.

During previous danger signals no calamity had struck. So they hoped that nothing would happen and they would be able to observe the anniversary duly the next day. At about 11pm on November 15, the couple went to bed with their child and slept with dreams and planning observance of the ceremony. But at about 2am early November 16, the giant Chambol tree that had grown by their house crushed on their sweet home and dreams.

'In the morning we recovered all three of them crushed under the tree', narrated Anwara Begum in tears. She was a neighbour and witness of the tragic incident. The local people sent their dead bodies to their village home of Patuakhali with great difficulties as communications was severely disrupted and the victims had no close relatives with sufficient financial abilities.

'We had no blood connection with them, but their tragic deaths still bleed our hearts,' neighbours mourned the dead.