The incident occurred at around 8am on Wednesday, 28 October, at a residence in the capital’s Banani area. The woman, identified as Keistin Var Bunag, was reportedly preparing to cook when she was caught in the fire.
Alamin, who manages the building, said Bunag and her Japanese companion, Nakashima Fumiyaki, arrived in Bangladesh on 15 October on tourist visas. They had rented the flat for two months.
According to Alamin, Nakashima was not at the residence when the incident occurred. Bunag was attempting to light the gas cooker in the morning when the fire broke out, leaving her with extensive burn injuries.
She was rescued and taken initially to a nearby hospital for treatment. Given the severity of her injuries, she was subsequently transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where she was admitted on Wednesday evening.
Nakashima later confirmed that Bunag was his girlfriend. He said she had sustained the burns while attempting to light the cooker to prepare a meal.
Dr Sultan Mahmud Shikder, a resident physician at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, confirmed that 63 per cent of Bunag’s body had been burnt. He described her condition as critical and said she was being treated in the ICU.
Extensive burns can cause serious complications, including fluid loss, infection and damage to vital bodily functions. Patients with injuries affecting a large proportion of their bodies often require close monitoring and specialised medical care. Bunag’s admission to intensive care reflects the seriousness of her condition, although no further details about her prognosis have been released.
The incident has also drawn attention to the risks associated with domestic gas appliances. Gas leaks can create a highly dangerous environment, particularly when an ignition source is introduced. In enclosed spaces, accumulated gas may ignite suddenly, causing flames to spread rapidly and resulting in severe injuries.
Safety precautions are therefore essential when using gas cookers. If a gas leak is suspected, people should avoid lighting flames or operating electrical switches, leave the area if necessary and contact the relevant gas service or emergency authorities. Regular checks of gas connections and appliances can also help reduce the risk of accidents.
Although the initial account links the fire to the use of the gas cooker, the precise circumstances surrounding the incident have not been fully established. Further information would be needed to determine whether a gas leak or another factor caused the fire.
For now, Bunag remains under intensive medical supervision as doctors treat her extensive burns. Her condition remains critical, and no further medical update has been provided.
