MOHAMMAD JAMIL KHAN

On Saturday afternoon, 30-year-old corporal Masud Rana had told his wife that he would call again after a short rest before heading back to work.

But that conversation turned out to be their last.

Later in the evening, his family in Natore learnt that Masud was among six peacekeepers from the Bangladesh Army killed in a drone attack on a United Nations base in Sudan.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the attack was carried out by a separatist armed group between 3:40pm and 3:50pm (local time), while the peacekeepers were on duty at the base.

A pall of grief has since fallen over Boaliapara village in Natore’s Lalpur upazila, where Masud’s family lives.

His mother, Marjin Begum, broke down as she recalled speaking to her son just the day before. “When I asked about his duty, he said, ‘Maa, you know it’s not so difficult these days.’ He told me to stay well. That was the last thing he said.”

Masud’s wife, Asmaul Husna Ankhi, was still stunned by the news.

“I just spoke to him yesterday [Saturday] afternoon. He said he would call me again after resting for half an hour before going on duty. I waited. That half hour never passed,” she said.

Masud joined the army in 2006. His two brothers are also serving in the army. He left for Sudan on November 7, leaving behind his wife and eight-year-old daughter.

The ISPR said the six peacekeepers were killed and eight others injured in a drone attack on the Kadugli Logistics Base in Sudan’s Abyei region on Saturday.

SEE PAGE 4 COL 6