A lamenting mother turned speechless by losing her only son who died by drowning in the river Padma around 11-30 AM Saturday (June-10). The mother of the dead son also lost her husband in September-2020.
Meanwhile, Fire Service personnel recovered the dead bodies of two intermediate first-year students of Rajshahi Cantonment Public School and College from the river Padma during taking a bath. Several students of the college went into the river Padma to take a bath there after playing football at the Charland of the river. Of them, Rifat Khandker Galib (17) son of late Gazi Muiduddin of Dargapara area and Sarwar Sayem(17) son of Saidur Rahman of Meherchandi area of the city went missing during taking a bath in the water of the river on Saturday morning. The divers of Rajshahi Fire Service dept. failed to rescue any missing students after the day's effort.
On Sunday morning, the dead body of Sayem was seen floating in the water while the dead body of Galib was also recovered around 12-00 noon the same day.
Rifat Khandker Galib was the only child of his mother Lovely Begum. Father of Galib died suddenly in September-2020 and to the mother Lovely Begum, Galib was her only dream and vision to live with. After passing SSC examinations, Galib was admitted to class XI at Rajshahi Cantonment Public School and College. Being a holiday, he went to play football on the Charland of river Padma with his friends on the morning of Saturday. After playing, they entered into the water of the river Padma to take a bath but Galib and his friend Sayem went missing during the bath.
Family members of missing Galib and Sayem were seen lamenting beside the river Padma on Saturday. Galib being the only son of the family, her mother was seen to lament and cry throughout the day and till late at night. Finding no trace of the missing children, family members of Galib and Sayem went back to their houses from the bank of the river at night and they again reached the spot early in the morning of Sunday.
Fire Service team members recovered the dead body of Sayem from the river in the morning of Sunday but Galib remained missing. Mourning family members including the mother of Galib turned speechless by not getting any trace of the body and started to wait beside the river in search of his body.
Defying hot sunshine and the extreme summer heat, mother Lovely Begum started to move on the water of the river Padma in a boat with the Fire Service team members while her other relatives were waiting beside the river Padma near the T-bank embankment.
Auntie Tanima Begum of Galib was seen to lament for her brother's only son and was seen to traverse one place to another beside the river. Mother Lovely Begum with her shocking, stunned eyes was moving in the water in a boat. Auntie Tanima Begum in a lamenting voice said, 'Why do you get missing, our dear son?
Rikta Parvin daughter of Tanima Begum informed, Galib was the only son of the family. His father was a college teacher who died three-year ago when his mother dreamt to live with her only son. But, her dream has been broken now and she can not think of how to live now without her only son. Being a holiday, mother Lovely Begum allowed her son to go to play but she has no idea this would result in such pathetic consequences.
Around 12-00 noon Sunday, fire service men recovered the dead body of Galib from the water of the river when his mother and other relatives burst into tears. With a heavy emotionally choked voice, Ghalib's mother prayed to Allah to get her son alive and said the last asset of her living has been exhausted. The entire river bank area was shrouded in shock at the news of the recovery of the dead body of Galib. Local rushed to the riverside to have a look at the dead body of Galib.
Abdur Rouf, Senior Station Officer of Rajshahi Fire Service and Civil Defense informed a total of six divers from two units of the Fire Service started the rescue operation and recovered the dead body of Galib. Earlier in the morning, the team also recovered the body of Sayem. The rescue operation has declared closed after handing over the dead body of Galib to his family member through police.