Body of Expatriate Sahed, Killed in Riyadh Missile Attack, Reaches His Bogra Village Amid Family's Tears
The body of Bangladeshi expatriate Sahed Ahmed Ashik, 35, who was killed in a Houthi missile attack in the Saudi capital Riyadh, has reached his village home. As the body of their loved one returned home, relatives broke down in tears and a shadow of grief fell over the whole area.
On Friday (October 23) at 2:30pm, the vehicle carrying Ashik's body arrived at Madla village in Shahjahanpur upazila of Bogra. As the vehicle arrived, relatives burst into tears, creating a heartbreaking scene.
Sahed's wife Kakli Begum and their two children accompanied the body from Dhaka to the village. The body was received at the village home in the presence of the family's closest members.
Speaking to relatives, it was learned that after family formalities, Sahed Ahmed Ashik will be buried at the local graveyard. Relatives and local people gathered at the home ahead of the final farewell.
Family sources said that on October 10, at around 5pm Saudi local time, Sahed arrived at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. After landing, from the Terminal-3 area, he spoke by phone for the last time with his wife Kakli Begum.
Shortly afterwards, a missile struck that terminal. Sahed and several others were killed on the spot in the attack. His death so soon after his final phone conversation with his family after landing at the airport has made the incident all the more painful.
Family sources also said Sahed's father Rafiqul Islam has also been living in Saudi Arabia for a long time. The family therefore had a long connection with Saudi Arabia, and it was in that country that the family's greatest tragedy occurred.
At the time of the incident, Sahed's mother Shahera Begum was also in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. However, after her son's tragic death, she returned home four days ago.
Sahed's cousin Masum Rana said Sahed had spoken to his sister-in-law after landing at the airport, and shortly afterwards the missile attack ended everything. Relatives said a single phone call was all that separated the family from a completely changed life.
Bogra Municipality Ward 21 Councillor Ruhul Kuddus Dilu said: 'We are beside Sahed's family.' He assured the family of support in this time of grief.
A sudden death like this, while travelling for work abroad or to reach loved ones, is one of the greatest fears for expatriate families. In Sahed's case, an airport terminal became the place of his death, where his journey was supposed to end safely.
With the body now home, the family can at least complete the burial formalities on their own soil. After the burial, the sympathy of relatives and local people will remain the bereaved family's greatest support.
