Cancer ravages Rajshahi family as four deaths and two terminal diagnoses devastate single household
Photo Collected
A family in Atanarayanpur village, located in the Mohanpur Upazila of Rajshahi, is facing a humanitarian crisis as a string of cancer-related deaths and diagnoses has left two young children orphaned and their surviving mother critically ill. Over the past six years, the family has lost four members to cancer, while two others, including the mother, are currently battling stage-four diagnoses.
The family’s ordeal began with the death of Sadrul Islam in 2019, followed by the passing of the family patriarch, Abdul Hamid, in 2022. By 2024, another brother, Mamun-or-Rashid, succumbed to liver cancer. Approximately 14 months ago, Asarul Islam, a management lecturer at Mohanpur Women’s College, died from the same disease at the age of 40, leaving behind his wife, Mosa. Jhorna, and their two children: Israt Jahan, a fifth-grade student, and five-year-old Junaed Islam.
Following Asarul’s death, Mosa. Jhorna was diagnosed with stage-four brain cancer. She has since suffered a stroke that left her right side paralyzed, further complicating her cognitive functions. Simultaneously, Jhorna’s brother-in-law, Shafiqul Islam, a local high school teacher, is undergoing treatment for stage-four colon cancer.
The financial burden on the family is staggering. The family remains indebted by 500,000 taka, part of an 800,000-taka loan taken to cover Asarul’s medical expenses. Jhorna stated that although they received a 50,000-taka grant from the Department of Social Services, the funds remain inaccessible due to a frozen bank account. With no other assets, the family has been forced to sell personal belongings, including a mobile phone, just to cover utility bills.
Local social services officials are now making contingency plans for Israt and Junaed, as their mother’s condition continues to deteriorate. Imam Hossain Shamim, the Upazila Social Services Officer, confirmed that discussions are underway with the SOS Children’s Village in Rajshahi to ensure the children’s welfare if they are left without guardians.
The crisis highlights the broader limitations of healthcare in Bangladesh. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data released in February 2024, Bangladesh records approximately 167,256 new cancer cases annually, with 116,598 deaths. While global standards suggest one cancer center for every one million people, Bangladesh possesses only 22 facilities for its population of 170 million, most of which are concentrated in Dhaka.
For the two children, the future remains uncertain. Young Israt, who once excelled in school, now struggles with the trauma of losing her father and the impending loss of her mother. Despite her hardships, she retains a strong desire for education, once attempting to travel to Dhaka alone in search of better opportunities. Her uncle, Anwar Hossain—the only sibling currently in stable health—has urged the government to provide specialized support or free medication for families suffering from such high incidences of the disease.
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