Gaibandha Farmer Khorshed Ali Dies in Coil Fire Trying to Save His Cattle, as Nine Animals Burn to Death on a Jamuna Char

A farmer named Khorshed Ali, 65, has burned to death in a fire started by a mosquito coil on a remote Jamuna river char in Saghata, Gaibandha. He was burned while trying to save his own cattle and goats. The tragic incident happened on Friday night (23 October) at Char Holdia in Holdia Union of Saghata upazila.

Three of Khorshed Ali's cows and six of his goats were burned to death in the fire. Another three cows and four goats were burned and injured. In other words, most of the animals he had rushed into the flames to save could not be saved.

The dead man was the son of the late Abdul Gafur Ali of the same char. Alongside farming, he kept six cows and ten goats, and his household ran on rearing livestock. He often had to leave home to gather fodder for the animals.

His stored straw for the cows had recently run out, and straw prices are higher this year than in other years. So at this time of year he would move to the Jamuna char with his livestock, relying on the char's grazing for their feed.

Khorshed Ali had built a small hut on Char Holdia, which rises from the Jamuna, and kept his cattle and goats there. His family lived across the river at West Holdia. On the char he stayed alone — the animals were both his company and his livelihood.

Local sources said that on Friday evening Khorshed Ali put the cattle and goats in the hut, lit a mosquito coil and went to sleep. At night the hut caught fire from that coil. Woken by the heat of the flames, he began to shout.

Although he might have escaped himself after waking, Khorshed Ali rushed to rescue the animals instead, trying to lead his cattle and goats out. At one point, burned by the fire, the elderly farmer collapsed to the ground.

The char's remoteness made everything worse. Across the wide char, Khorshed Ali's hut was the only dwelling; there was no other settlement within about 500 metres. So no help could reach the spot in the first moments after the fire broke out.

People from the surrounding area eventually rushed in and put out the fire, but by then it was far too late. Khorshed Ali's body was recovered from the scene. His only livelihood and his life ended in the same night's fire.

Locals said the hut had been reduced to a heap of ash. The bodies of the burned cows and goats lay there, and beside them lay scattered some of the elderly farmer's clothes — a scene that itself showed how fierce the fire had been.

The dead man's son, Shah Alam, said: “Father stayed on the char across the river with the cattle and goats. He grazed the cows on the char all day. We live on this side. At night his uncle Abdur Razzak phoned to give us the news of father's death.” The death reached the family by phone, from across the river.

Holdia Union Parishad panel chairman Masud Rana confirmed the incident, saying: “It is truly a sorrowful event. I went to the spot after hearing the news. Khorshed Ali lived in the same hut with his livestock.” He said the initial assumption is that the fire started from the mosquito coil.

Saghata Upazila Nirbahi Officer (additional charge) Mostafizur Rahman said: “I have heard of the incident and made enquiries. The affected family will be given government assistance.” For a family left destitute by the loss of its animals, that assistance is now its only support.