A profound wave of grief has swept through the quiet community of Sahabaz Matinbazar in Sundarganj Upazila, Gaibandha, following the heartbreaking deaths of an elderly couple within just an hour of each other.
Abdul Jalil, aged 70, passed away late on Monday night, 5 October, at approximately midnight after battling health complications. His final rites were observed the following day, with his burial taking place at 4:00 pm in the family graveyard. Merely one hour later, as grieving relatives returned home from the burial ground, Jalil’s 60-year-old wife, Amina Begum, breathed her last at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, 6 October. Her funeral prayers were conducted after the evening Maghrib prayer before she was laid to rest alongside her late husband.
The tragedy marked the sad end to a sequence of events that began a fortnight earlier. On 22 September, Amina Begum suffered a severe stroke. In a poignant testament to their shared vulnerability, her husband suffered a stroke just two and a half hours after learning of her sudden illness. Both were rushed to medical facilities for emergency treatment. Whilst Abdul Jalil was eventually discharged to continue his recovery at home, his condition deteriorated rapidly early this week.
Overcome with sorrow, the couple’s son, Alam Miah, shared the deep bond his parents maintained throughout their lives. He reflected that his parents had always shared an extraordinary affection for one another, which he believed explained why they fell ill simultaneously and departed this world on the very same day. Expressing the family’s devastating loss, he noted how quickly tragedy struck twice, leaving the siblings orphaned within the span of a single afternoon.
The unprecedented event has left the local community in deep mourning. Confirming the tragic occurrence, Jahurul Islam, Chairman of the Sarbananda Union Parishad, noted that such coincidental passings within hours are exceptionally rare. Extending his condolences to the bereaved family, he offered prayers for the deceased couple, who were long-standing residents of Ward 3 within the union.
