Effort to keep warm in the cold costs her life

She was sitting next to a clay oven to keep herself warm in the cold evening. Alone in the house, the elderly woman did not find out soon enough that the loose end of the blanket she wore came in contact with the burning wood. The fire was fatal.

 Halima Khatun, 60, wife of Abdul Hafiz of Uttara Abason area in Saidpur municipality of Nilphamari, was taken to a hospital by neighbours a few hours after the incident.

Dr Abdur Rahim, residential medical officer of 100-bed Adhunik Hospital in Saidpur, told The Daily Star that 40 percent of her body was burnt and the injuries in her respiratory tract were severe.

She was given first aid there before doctors referred her to the burn unit of Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Halima, who was a mother of five children, succumbed to her injuries around 10:00am yesterday.