Rangamati, July 22 (V7N) – The grief-stricken wail of a mother echoed through the hills of Kayangdong Para in Rajsthali upazila as the body of 17-year-old Ukychaing Marma returned home—not with dreams of a bright future, but wrapped in a shroud. A victim of the devastating fire at Milestone School and College in Dhaka, Ukychaing died in the ICU of the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in the early hours of Tuesday, following severe burn injuries sustained in the incident.
 
When the ambulance carrying his remains arrived around 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, an outpouring of anguish enveloped the village. His mother, Tejipru Marma, repeatedly collapsed, crying out: “Why did my only child have to die alone? Why couldn’t we die together? Before losing consciousness, my son asked to see us, but he passed away before we could reach the hospital.”
 
Ukychaing, a bright student of Milestone School and College, was among several critically injured in Monday’s tragic fire, reportedly caused by an internal electrical malfunction within the school premises. As the flames spread, students scrambled for safety. Ukychaing suffered severe burns and was rushed to the national burn institute, where he succumbed to his injuries around 2:30 a.m.
 
The community in Baghaihat, where Ukychaing was born and raised, is devastated. Locals said they had high hopes for the young boy who symbolized the rising aspirations of the indigenous Marma community. “We believed he would come back as a beacon of education, but instead he returned lifeless,” one villager mourned.
 
Ukychaing’s father, Usai Mong Marma, a teacher at Bangalhalia Residential High School, and his mother, Tejipru Marma, a primary school teacher in Ruma upazila of Bandarban, are both respected figures in their respective communities. His grandfather, Konghlapru Marma, said, “He was deeply attached to me. We last spoke on Ashadhi Purnima. I never imagined it would be our final conversation.”
 
The grieving father shared that he had spoken to his son for the last time on Sunday and had even sent him money via mobile banking. “I had no idea that would be our final exchange. On Monday, when we heard about the fire, we tried desperately to reach him. But by the time we arrived in Dhaka, our son had already passed away,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.
 
Ukychaing’s funeral will be held Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in his home village of Kayangdong, Bangalhalia.
 
Adomong Marma, Chairman of Bangalhalia Union Parishad and a relative of the deceased, said the entire village is in mourning. “Ukychaing was not just a bright student; he was a symbol of hope for us all. His loss is a blow to the entire community.”
 
Ukychaing aspired to join the military as an officer—a dream cherished by both him and his father. That dream now lies shattered, along with the hearts of his parents and community members who hoped to see a son of the hills rise to national service.
 
As his village prepares to bid him a final farewell, his story stands as a somber reminder of the vulnerability of students and the urgent need for safety reforms in educational institutions across the country.
 
END/AMR/SMA/