Gravedigger Manu Mia’s beloved horse killed while he lies in hospital bed

Manu Mia prepares homes for eternal rest.

As soon as he hears the news of someone's death, he rushes to the graveyard on horseback with his required tools. Like a special companion on the final journey of a person, the 67-year-old extends his sincere hands.

He has been digging graves for 50 years now. He has dug 3,057 graves so far without taking any kind of remuneration or tip. He has recorded the name, address, and time of every person he buried in his personal diary.

To reach distant places quickly, Manu Mia sold his paddy fields and bought a horse several years ago. He carried all his tools and equipment on this horse. Riding that horse, Manu Mia ran from village to village to offer his selfless service. It was as if the horse had overcome the barrier of his age and kept him active.

However, as complex diseases have taken root in his body, he recently became bedridden and was admitted to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi in the capital on May 14.

It was during this critical time that his beloved horse fell victim to barbarity.

In the absence of Manu Mia and his wife Rahima Begum at home, the horse became guardianless. The horse had not been seen by any villagers for the past three days. On Friday morning, locals saw the horse's body lying in a water body next to a madrasa in Hashimpur Chhatris village in neighbouring Mithamoin upazila in Kishoreganj. Manu Mia's beloved horse was killed.

Considering the physical and mental condition of Manu Mia, who is undergoing treatment in the hospital, his wife and relatives have kept the news of the horse's murder from him.

SM Rizon, a neighbour of Manu Mia who identified the murdered horse, said that after going to Hashimpur Chhatris village, they found out from the locals that someone had killed Manu Mia's horse by hitting it with a sharp weapon in the chest.

"Manu Mia has worked selflessly for people all his life. Today, in his absence, miscreants killed his beloved horse like this. It is a very condemnable act. This crime should be brought to justice."

Over the phone, Manu Mia's wife Rahima said, "His condition is not good. Only by the grace of Allah can he recover. He has never harmed anyone in his life. I knew for a long time that people love him. How could people kill his beloved horse in such a bad condition? If we gave him this news, he would not be able to bear it."

Locals said that Manu Mia has a reputation as a perfect and skilled gravedigger, having dug 3,057 graves in various parts of the country, including the Banani Cemetery in the capital, as well as in the surrounding areas of Itna, Mithamoin, Shalla, and Ajmiriganj in the remote Haor upazilas.

If he heard news of someone's death while travelling somewhere, he would rush there and join in digging the grave. It so happened that even in his very ill condition, if the news of someone's death reached his ears, he would rush to the cemetery and dig the grave.

Although his wife Rahima occasionally protested at first, due to Manu Mia's dedication and concentration on this work, she continued to provide her husband with as much emotional support as possible.

At his own expense, he made all the necessary equipment, including a pickaxe, spade, axe, and saw to dig graves.

Manu Mia does not accept any financial assistance from anyone in exchange for digging the grave — not even the cost of travel.

In this way, this simple-minded man received the love, respect, and honour of the people. But no one could have imagined that his beloved horse would be killed in this way during his time of crisis.

Mukit Sarkar, Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) of Kishoreganj, said that the officer-in-charge of Mithamoin Police Station has been instructed to take legal action in this regard.