It ruins a family

Nazrul Islam came back home around five months ago from Muscat after hearing the news of his father's death.

Though he had to rejoin work soon, he stayed back to console his grieving mother.

The father of three, living in the hilly areas of Jangal Bogabili in Chittagong's Rangunia upazila, decided to go back after spending the Eid vacation with his family.

The 45-year-old and his family moved to the area from the nearby Halimpur village around 15 years back. They built a hut near a large hill.

Although the hut was not huge, it provided a roof over their heads. Most importantly, it was a place they called home.

But everything ended in the early hours of Tuesday when a wave of mud from the nearby hill caused by the incessant rain buried their home killing Nazrul, his wife Asma Akhter, 36, and their two children in their sleep.

Over 100 neighbours managed to recover the bodies on Tuesday afternoon after frantic efforts.

The lone survivor of the family -- Nazrul's daughter Lucky Akhter was at her in-laws' place when the incident occurred.

“I have lost everything -- my parents, brother and sister,” said a wailing Lucky. “My brother and sister were only 14 and seven.”

“No one will call me daughter or sister anymore,” she said.

The bodies of her loved ones were sent to her grandmother's house nearby, where the 70-year-old was already mourning the recent death of her husband.

She sat quietly in a corner on the rain-soaked earth. Tears were streaming down her eyes like raindrops.

“My son worked so hard for the betterment of the family. He went abroad to support us. He also took other family members to Muscat,” she said.

“He had to return soon but he stayed back to support me. He was loved by all. My son is gone forever…,” the mother could not finish her sentence.

Nazrul's brother-in-law Md Yusuf also built a house at a nearby hill slope some 12 years back. “I settled here as I could not find any work in my village. Nazrul helped me to find work and all of us lived here as a family.”

“But we are living in uncertainty now,” said Yusuf.

At least 26 people of five families have died in different areas of the two nearby unions -- Rajanagar and Islampur -- due to the recent landslides caused by incessant rain.