In a heart-wrenching incident, Dipak Kumar Gope of Narayanganj is mourning the loss of his six-year-old daughter, Riya Gope, who was shot in the head by a stray bullet while playing on the roof of their home, during the quota reform protest on Friday. The tragedy has left family and friends in deep sorrow, struggling to find any consolation.
Last Friday afternoon, in the Noyamati area of Narayanganj, little Riya was playing on the roof when a stray bullet from a clash surrounding the quota reform movement struck her. She was immediately rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she remained unconscious and under treatment for five days. She succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday.
Dipak, holding his daughter's lifeless body wrapped in a blanket on a stretcher, expressed his grief and despair, "I had everything. What will happen now? Who will I seek justice from? She was a treasure born after a long wait. After many years of marriage, I had this child. And now, her body is on my shoulders. The child who used to light up our home is no more."
Visiting the morgue of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Wednesday, scenes of anguish were evident as relatives of those killed in recent clashes waited for the bodies of their loved ones. Cries of pain echoed as some rolled on the ground in grief, while others navigated the bureaucratic maze for autopsy procedures.
Dipak, carrying his daughter's body, could barely speak, overwhelmed by grief. He repeatedly questioned, "Why was my daughter killed? Can you bring her back to me? What is the use of talking now?" Riya was the only child of her parents, who had cherished great dreams for her. She was born after many years of their marriage.
Riya's mother, devastated by the incident, has been in a state of shock, neglecting to eat or drink. Dipak voiced his concern, saying, "How will I face her mother with our daughter's body?"
The family, residents of Noyamati, Narayanganj, recounted the fateful afternoon when Riya went to play on the roof and was caught in the crossfire of the ongoing clash. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Riya's injuries proved fatal, leaving her family and the community in mourning.
This tragic incident underscores the devastating impact of violence on innocent lives, leaving a family shattered and a community grieving.
