Escaping death: How an Indian exporter jumped from burning hotel in Bangladesh
Times of India | 7 August 2024
PETRAPOLE/KOLKATA: At the Petrapole border, Shahid Ali's groans of pain can be heard several feet away from the ambulance he's in.
The 36-year-old has two fractured legs, but he's thanking his lucky stars at being able to cross over to India. Shahid got injured after he decided to jump from the second-floor balcony of a hotel owned by an Awami League leader in Bangladesh's Jashore on Monday, faced with a mob that was vandalising it and setting it ablaze, burning 24 people alive.
Broken limbs are but a small price to pay for an escape from certain death, Shahid has been telling himself.
Shahid was inside the hotel room while his brother Faizan was outside, arranging for tickets to India, when the mob set fire to Zabeer International Hotel.
"There was no way I could run out of the hotel, as the lower two floors were ablaze," Shahid said. "I simply had to jump, and so did a few others. Many of those who chose not to jump died at the hotel, I later learnt, and more than 100 were injured. I was lucky that I landed on the tin roof of a shop, escaping with fractures. I am relieved to have got away from Bangladesh. I'll now get admitted to a hospital in Kolkata before going back to Assam." Faizan, too, managed to escape with a few burn injuries, said Shahid, now in a private hospital in Kolkata.
At the Petrapole integrated checkpost in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas, TOI caught up with numerous Indians, who shared dramatic tales of escape from the turbulent country. Some hitch-hiked to the border, some spent thousands of rupees to avail themselves of rides on cycle rickshaws, some spent the night at the bus terminus to board the first bus home.
Never thought I'd go home in ambulance
I still can't believe I am alive and have finally made it out of the country, albeit in an ambulance. I had a brush with death when I jumped from a 30ft-high balcony on the second floor of a hotel that was set on fire.
I went to Bangladesh on a business trip with my brother Rabiul and business partner on Aug 1. After an initial set of meetings, we had checked in at Zabeer International Hotel in Jessore.
It is a premium hotel, owned by Shahin Chakladar, general secretary of Jessore District Awami League. We were scheduled to come home on Monday but the emergency situation broke out in Bangladesh and, with a curfew imposed, our journey was cancelled.
By Monday afternoon, there was anarchy. We stayed put in our hotel rooms as advised by the hotel manager. While I was following the TV news, my brother had gone out to arrange return tickets. Around 4.15 pm, I heard a commotion outside and came out of the room to find the hotel on fire. I called my brother before trying to run down the stairs. When I couldn't, I ran up to the terrace to find an escape route but there was none.
Eventually, I realized there was no way I could walk out of the hotel as the two lower floors were burning. I decided to jump, as did a few others. Many didn't and I later learnt that several had died at the hotel. I later learnt 24 persons were burnt alive in the carnage and more than 150, possibly including me, were injured.
I was lucky to have landed on the tin roof of a shop. I was taken to a private hospital by my brother and others in the area where doctors told me I had fractures on both legs apart from a severe injury to my spine.
The doctors advised me hospital admission and rest but I stressed on somehow moving out of the country. We finally left after signing a risk bond and hired an ambulance till the Benapole border. We were stopped at two places inside Bangladesh but, on seeing my situation, they allowed me to go. I am relieved that I could finally come out of Bangladesh and called up my wife to let her know the news. My wife had already flown in from Assam and we moved to a private hospital on EM Bypass where I got admitted.
I pray that peace returns to Bangladesh and I hope none has to go through the kind of ordeal I had to go through.
(The 36-year-old exporter from Assam spoke to Tamaghna Banerjee)