A seven-year-old girl was burned alive and three members of her family critically injured after their home was allegedly locked from the outside and set ablaze in the early hours of Saturday in Lakshmipur district, in what residents and locals describe as one of the most harrowing episodes in Bangladesh’s rapidly deteriorating law-and-order situation.
The attack occurred around 1:00am at the tin-roofed house of Belal Hossain, a local businessman and assistant organising secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Bhabaniganj Union under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila, police said.
Belal’s youngest daughter, Ayesha Akter, aged seven, died trapped inside the burning house.
Belal himself and his two teenage daughters—Salma Akter, 16, and Samia Akter, 14—sustained critical burn injuries and are fighting for their lives, hospital officials confirmed.
“This is a brutal and calculated act,” said Md Wahid Parvez, officer-in-charge of Lakshmipur Sadar Model Thana.
“We are investigating who committed this crime and what the motive was.”
Doctors at Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital said Belal was admitted with extensive burns, while his daughters were transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka due to the severity of their injuries.
“Approximately 50 to 60 per cent of the bodies of the two girls were burned,” said Arup Pal, the hospital’s residential medical officer. “Their condition is extremely critical.”
Family members allege the attackers deliberately ensured that the victims could not escape.
Hazera Begum, Belal’s mother, described waking to a nightmare of fire and helplessness.
“I saw flames engulfing my son’s house,” she said, her voice breaking. “When I ran towards it, I found both doors locked from the outside. I screamed for help, but there was nothing I could do.”
According to Hazera, Belal eventually broke open one of the doors, allowing his wife, Nazma Begum, to flee with their four-month-old infant and six-year-old son. But the three daughters were asleep in a separate room.
“Two of my granddaughters were pulled out alive, though badly burned,” she said. “The youngest one—Ayesha—was burned to death inside. I can still hear her screams.”
Neighbours say the attack has left the community traumatised and fearful.
“This was not an accident. This was planned,” said Abdul Karim, a local shopkeeper who rushed to the scene. “They poured petrol and locked the doors. Whoever did this wanted to kill everyone inside.”
Another resident, who requested anonymity fearing reprisals, said political tensions in the area had intensified in recent weeks.
“Everyone knows Belal Hossain is active in BNP politics,” the resident said. “Now people are terrified. If they can burn a child alive, what safety is left for ordinary people?”
BNP leaders have condemned the attack, accusing unidentified assailants of using terror to silence political opponents.
While police have not officially linked the incident to political motives, opposition figures insist it reflects a broader pattern of targeted violence.
“This is not just an arson attack; it is a crime against humanity,” said a local BNP organiser. “The state must answer how a child could be burned alive in her sleep.”
The killing comes amid mounting concern over lawlessness across Bangladesh since the formation of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Rights groups and political observers have warned of rising incidents of mob violence, arson, and attacks on political activists, as well as minority communities.
In Lakshmipur, grief now hangs heavy over Bhabaniganj Union. On Saturday afternoon, mourners gathered silently near the charred remains of the house, some holding photographs of Ayesha, others openly weeping, local journalist said.
“She loved school,” said a neighbour softly. “She used to run around the yard every morning. Now she is gone—because of hate, because of politics, because of lawlessness.”
Police say no arrests have yet been made.
“This child did nothing wrong,” Abdul Karim said. “If this crime goes unpunished, then no one in this country is safe anymore.”
