Rohan’s run for survival

The image of him running across the Milestone School and College field, his body scorched, in a desperate attempt to survive, shook the nation when the video went viral on social media after the incident on Monday.

For a full day, no one knew who he was -- only that he was a child, burnt and running to find help all by himself.

While people across the country cried, praying for his survival, an elderly man quietly wept in coach-3 of a Metro train headed for Motijheel from Uttara around 3:10pm.

Asked why he was crying, the man, Zakir Hossain, said, "My nephew was burnt in the jet crash. I've come from Sandwip to see him. I'm going to the National Burn Institute."

Pointing to a video on his phone, his voice trembled as he said, "That boy running through the school field with a burning body, trying to survive -- that's my nephew."

And thus, the child gained a name, a family, a voice. He was 14-year-old Robiul Hasan Nabil -- Rohan to his family.

A seventh grader of the English version of Milestone School and College, Rohan's body caught fire when a fighter jet crashed into the school on Monday afternoon.

As he ran out of the school, trying to reach a hospital by himself, some people helped him and took him to Uttara Adhunik Hospital, where he gave staffers his parents' phone numbers. The teenage boy then waited patiently, his body shivering in pain.

Inside the Metro coach, as Zakir's sobs grew louder, the weight of his grief gripped everyone nearby. Next to him was Rohan's father, Nizam Uddin.

"Please pray for my son," he said, his voice cracking.

Remembering the horror, Nizam told The Daily Star, "Rohan was running with his body all burnt. He had no clothes on.

"At some point, some people boarded him onto a rickshaw in that condition and took him to Uttara Adhunik Hospital. We had no idea what had happened even then."

Trying to stay composed, he added, "My little boy is brave. Even though people panicked after seeing the video, his heart was strong. At the hospital, he gave someone his mother's mobile number himself. That's how we found out where he was."

After the family was contacted and Rohan was moved to the burn institute, his mother Nasima Begum has remained by his side.

Another uncle of Rohan's, Motachher Hossain, also rushed to Dhaka from their home in Chattogram's Sandwip.

The father and uncles were heading to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery from Rohan's residence on Road 15, Sector 12 in Uttara.

As Nizam spoke, Motachher quietly wiped away his tears.

Rohan's elder brother Shihab and only sister Nasrin Sultana Nupur were also students of the same school.

"For years, I've sent my children to this school," Nizam said. "On Monday, I dropped Rohan off like any other day. But he didn't come back home."

As surrounding passengers heard their story, the atmosphere turned heavy with sorrow and prayers.

Some gasped, others shook their heads in disbelief. And yet, amid the sadness, there was unity -- everyone on board shared a connection of hope for Rohan and his family.

Rohan is now undergoing treatment in the High Dependency Unit of the Burn Institute, with 50 percent flame burns.

Contacted, Shawon Bin Rahman, residential surgeon at the institute, told The Daily Star yesterday, "If a patient is in the HDU, it is assumed that the condition is critical…. We are doing our best for all the patients to recover."

Like Rohan, several other children were seen in viral videos -- burned and running alone to safety -- since the incident."