KM Manik scrolls through his phone’s gallery looking at pictures of his beloved daughter, now battling with critical burn injuries in the hospital with a thin chance of survival.
While the daughter is fighting for her life, her family is waiting outside with moist eyes, heavy hearts and a litany of prayers on their tongue.
Every call from the ICU is a call of panic. Will it be good news or will it be the news of perpetual loss, they wonder.
The 18-year old girl was set on fire, when she went to appear for her Alim exams at Sonagazi Fazil Degree Madrasa at Feni on Apr 7.
She had to face the flames for allegedly refusing to withdraw sexual abuse charges against the principal of the madrasa.
The girl has been put on life support at the Dhaka Medical College Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Burn and Plastic Surgery Department with 85 percent burn injuries.
The parents have been spending their days with bated breath not knowing what news the next minute will bring.
The mother has fixed herself in front of the High Dependency Unit (HDU). Sleep evades her and her blank eyes fill up with tears every time someone speaks to her. Lost for words, she only solicits prayers that her daughter returns to her alive.
The father’s grief, however, seems to be beyond tears. Although he puts on a brave face in front of the relatives, a little cry escapes him when someone speaks to him.
“Please pray for my daughter,” he says to anyone that speaks to him. The corners of his eyes moisten when he looks at a photo of his daughter; a memory untarnished by burnt flesh and trauma.
The brother, meanwhile, doesn’t have the opportunity to take a moment to lament his sister’s condition. He’s busy talking to doctors and making runs for food and medicines.
The prime minister had directed that she be transferred to Singapore for advanced medical care but that won’t be possible at the moment as her condition is too delicate for a five-hour flight, doctors say.
Not seeing a way out, the family has resorted to prayers for their beloved daughter, hoping against hope that she makes it out alive.