Nashima Begum, 40, a survivor of the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Savar, Dhaka, tragically lost her life on 25 March when a bus she was travelling in sank in the Padma River at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari. In a cruel twist of fate, the ambulance carrying her body was also involved in an accident near Kushtia city. Following Friday prayers, she was laid to rest in her native village of Atrai in Parbatipur, Dinajpur.
Nashima Begum was a resident of Atrai village, Palashbari Union, Parbatipur Upazila, Dinajpur. During the recent Eid festival, she had visited her pregnant niece, Nazmira Khatun, 31, at her home in Rajbari. While returning to Dhaka after the holidays, Nashima, her niece Nazmira, and Nazmira’s four-year-old son, Abdur Rahman, perished in the tragic bus accident.
Speaking about the incident, Nazmira’s brother-in-law, Liton Sheikh, said:
“After midday, my brother, nephew, his wife, and sister-in-law set off together for Dhaka. By around 5:30 pm, we learned about the bus accident. The bus had been waiting for the ferry when my brother briefly got off and later reboarded. When the bus plunged into the river, everyone was inside. My brother managed to escape and called me from a mobile phone. I rushed to the scene immediately, but sadly, no one else survived. By around 11 pm, the bodies of the three victims were recovered, marking the loss of three members from a single family. They were buried in Mahendrapur the following Thursday.”
Nashima’s son, Nasirul Islam, 24, said that his parents had separated when he was just two years old. Nashima had remarried eight years ago to Nur Islam of Atrai village. After her first divorce, she worked in a garment factory in Dhaka. She survived the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, after which she resided in her village. Following her second husband’s death seven months ago, Nashima moved in with her sister, Sanowara, and was seeking employment. She had planned to join her niece at work in Dhaka after Eid, which prompted her visit to Rajbari on 13 March to celebrate the festival.
Parbatipur Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Saddam Hossain confirmed that he had visited Nashima’s home and that the local administration provided her family with financial support of 25,000 Taka.
Summary of the Victims
| Name | Age | Relation | Incident | Residence | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashima Begum | 40 | Maternal Aunt | Bus Sinking | Atrai, Dinajpur | 25 March 2026 |
| Nazmira Khatun | 31 | Niece | Bus Sinking | Rajbari | 25 March 2026 |
| Abdur Rahman | 4 | Nephew | Bus Sinking | Rajbari | 25 March 2026 |
From surviving one of Bangladesh’s deadliest industrial disasters to losing her life in a river accident, Nashima Begum’s story is a stark reminder of the fragility of life. Her funeral in Atrai drew family and community members mourning the tragic loss of a resilient woman whose life had already endured extraordinary hardships.