Dhaka Businessman Nurul Amin Dies Malviya Nagar Delhi Fire

Forty-four-year-old Md Nurul Amin did not need to visit India. But on June 2, the transport businessman chose to board a flight from Dhaka to Delhi to accompany his younger sister Rahana Akhtar (38) and her husband Mosharaf Hossain (44), who was in need of a kidney transplant.

Also tagging along was Hossain’s sister Zohra, the donor, and her daughter.

“They landed in Delhi on June 2 evening and stayed the night at the Delhi airport. The next day, they went to a cafe,” Md Robiul (33), Amin’s brother-in-law, told The Indian Express. The cafe was located on the first floor of Flourish Stays B&B in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, near Max Hospital Saket, where Hossain was set to undergo the transplant. As Amin and the family ate, just before they planned to visit the hospital, a fire broke out in the building.

Amin was among the 22 people who died in the fire, while Hossain, Rahana, Zohra and her daughter sustained injuries. Two days later, Robiul stood at the AIIMS mortuary, waiting for the completion of post-mortem formalities.

“He didn’t have to come. He only came because he wanted to help his sister take care of Hossain during the treatment. The last time I spoke to him was last month when he was planning to come here,” Robiul.

“People from the Embassy told me that they were eating at the restaurant when the fire broke out. I think because they were on the first floor, at least the others managed to get out in time. Amin couldn’t,” he added.

Back in Dhaka, Amin leaves behind his wife and three children. None of them could travel to India because only Robiul had a valid visa.

“When the embassy contacted us, I was asked to come because I had travelled to India before. I came with my parents,” he said.

As he waited outside the mortuary, Robiul scrolled through his phone to show the only photograph he has of Amin – fair, clean shaved and sharp cheekbones, with thick black hair swept on the side.