A celebratory excursion for the upcoming Eid festival turned into an unimaginable nightmare in Ramganj, Lakshmipur, on Sunday. Fahad Hossain, a 16-year-old student, was tragically killed when a wall from a pharmacy under renovation collapsed, crushing him as his mother looked on. The incident has left the local community in shock and raised serious questions regarding construction safety in busy commercial hubs.
A Mother’s Grief
The victim, a resident of Bashghar village and an SSC candidate at the local Nichhara High School, had travelled to the town centre with his mother, Nasima Begum. The pair had arrived at the “Chaurasta” intersection to purchase new clothes for Eid and to repair a sewing machine at a local workshop.
CCTV footage of the incident captured the harrowing final moments. Fahad and his mother were standing in front of Al Mansur Drug House when the teenager took a few steps to the right. Without warning, a segment of an old wall on the roof of the pharmacy, which was undergoing structural changes, gave way. Fahad was completely buried under the heavy masonry.
Casualties and Emergency Response
Local shopkeepers and passers-by acted heroically, digging through the rubble to retrieve the boy. He was rushed to the Ramganj Upazila Health Complex, but medical staff confirmed he had succumbed to his injuries before arrival. His mother, witnessing the violent death of her son, collapsed at the scene and remains hospitalised in a state of severe trauma.
The collapse also resulted in injuries to five other bystanders. Among them, Khorshed Alam, a resident of Ichhapur Union, suffered a fractured spine and was transferred to a specialist facility in Dhaka for emergency surgery.
Casualty and Incident Summary
| Individual | Age | Condition / Status | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fahad Hossain | 16 | Deceased | Bashghar Village |
| Khorshed Alam | — | Critical (Spinal Injury) | Ichhapur Union |
| Nasima Begum | — | Hospitalised (Shock/Trauma) | Victim’s Mother |
| Four Others | — | Minor Injuries | Local Pedestrians |
Investigation and Accountability
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramganj Police Station, Md. Firoz Uddin Chowdhury, confirmed that a formal investigation is underway. “Fahad and his mother were simply pedestrians. The wall collapsed suddenly, leading to this fatality,” the OC stated.
While the body remains at the morgue pending further formalities, no arrests have been made. However, local residents have expressed outrage at the pharmacy owners for failing to secure the construction site, particularly in such a high-traffic area during the busy pre-Eid shopping season.
