Relatives of men who died in Mussaffah fire face bleak future

Alam Bashar’s brother-in-law died in the Mussafah fire. He will now accompany the body back to Bangladesh. Lee Hoagland / The National

ABU DHABI // The women whose husbands died in the recent fire at Musaffah were filled with grief on Sunday at the loss of their spouses and family breadwinners.

Ten people were killed and eight injured – some severely – when a fire ripped through the illegal accommodation on Friday.

Sophi, a Bangladeshi whose 38-year-old husband Abdus Sukur died, was deeply upset.

“Now where can I go with my small child who is now orphaned?” she asked over the phone from Chittagong.

“He was the only breadwinner for my family.

“God Almighty has put me under a huge test,” she said, her voice breaking. “Please send the body of my husband here so that we can perform the funeral.”

Sukur worked as mason and earned Dh1,000 a month. His son is five years old and recently started school.

Imamuddin Rasal, a friend of Sukur, has been coordinating with police to receive his body and send it back to Bangladesh.

“Sukur was the only breadwinner in the family. His wife is heartbroken after hearing the news,” said Mr Rasal, who also works as a mason.

Mr Rasal said he was asleep when the fire broke out, but was able to jump out a window to safety.

“I keep consoling the family members when they call that I will bring the body back home.”

He will also be representing the families in court for compensation claims.

Shaku, the wife of victim Salim Uddin, said there was nothing left for her. “How I am going to educate my children and feed them?”

In addition to his wife, the 30-year-old leaves behind two sons, aged 13 and 8.

“Now we are rendered penniless because my husband was the only person who regularly sent the money for all home expenditures and the education of my children,” said the Chittagong woman.

Alam Bashar, the brother-in-law of Uddin, said the family was devastated by the news.

“It’ll be a big burden until we receive some compensation for the family as their children have grown up so they have more expenses,” he said.

Mr Bashar worked with Uddin at the same company.

“Every day I am at the police station to complete the official formalities for claiming the body,” said Mr Alam, who will accompany the body to Bangladesh.