Tragedy at toll plaza: ‘I have no one left to live for’

"I have lost everything... I don't want to live anymore," cried Jobeda Khatun, the mother of Amena Akhter, who died in an accident at the Dhaleshwari toll plaza on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway on Friday.

Near 70 years old, Jobeda struggled to express her grief, tears streaming down her face as she kept uttering -- "I have lost everything".

When this correspondent visited her place in Nandankona village in Sirajdikhan, Munshiganj yesterday afternoon, Jobeda, the widow of late Suman Khan, sat outside her home, wailing in despair.

Surrounded by relatives who attempted to console her, she mourned the loss of her daughter Amena, 45, along with two granddaughters: Ishrat Jahan Imi, 26, and Riha Moni, 11. Another granddaughter, Anamika, had also lost her 2-year-old son, Ayaz, in the same incident.

Jobeda's grandson-in-law Sohag and granddaughter Anamika are still hospitalised, receiving treatment.

In addition to Jobeda's family, motorcycle rider Reshma Akhtar, 26, and her 7-year-old son, Md Abdullah, also lost their lives in the tragic accident.

As relatives gathered at Jobeda's home in the village, they shared their sorrow and expressed their outrage to journalists regarding the circumstances of the accident. They demanded justice and accountability for those responsible.

Md Iqbal, Amena's husband, said, "My wife, two daughters, and grandson are gone. They left home at 10:30am for Gopalganj to attend a Milad. Just last week, my sister-in-law lost her husband."

"I have no one left to live for...," he said.

Struggling to contain his grief, he voiced his anger: "The country has developed roads, but drivers have not improved. Hundreds die on the roads every day, and no government has ensured safety. We need to raise awareness about road safety."