The powerful earthquake in the capital halted the life of medical student Rafi in an instant. His lifeless body lies on a hospital bed, while in the adjacent operating theatre his severely injured mother fights for survival. Despite her unbearable pain, she keeps asking about her son, repeatedly saying, “How is Rafi?”—unaware that her only child has already passed away.
On Friday (21 November) morning, Rafi, a student of the 52nd batch of Salimullah Medical College, went with his mother to buy meat at Kasaituli in Bangshal. As they stood in front of Nayon’s meat shop, the tragic moment struck. At 10:38 am, the quake began with a violent jolt, causing the railing of a nearby building to break and fall directly onto Rafi and his mother.
Locals rushed the two to the hospital, where doctors declared Rafi dead. Photos and videos showed severe injuries to his head and face.
Rafi’s mother remains in the operating theatre. Hospital sources say she still does not know that her son is no more. She continues to ask about him, but the family has been unable to reveal the heartbreaking truth.
On Friday morning, the strong earthquake shook multi-storey buildings across the capital, causing cracks in walls, and in some places railings and parts of buildings collapsed. According to the Meteorological Department, the epicentre was in Madhabdi, Narsingdi, and the magnitude was 5.7 on the Richter scale, categorised as moderate.
The duty officer at Bangshal Police Station said that when the railing of a five-storey building collapsed in Kasaituli, three pedestrians were killed. One of them was Rafi. The identities of the other two are yet to be confirmed. All three bodies have been kept at Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford).
Assistant Commissioner (AC) Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami of Lalbagh Division stated that two people died on the spot, while another passed away after being taken to the hospital.
SS