The siblings continue treatment at hospital, unaware they have lost their mother

Bandarban Correspondent:

Two-year-old Kainwai Mro and his four-year-old sister Dongwai Mro lie side by side on a narrow bed at Bandarban Sadar Hospital. Weakened by measles, they struggle with fever and exhaustion. At times, they hold their uncle’s hand. At others, they look towards the ward entrance, as if waiting for someone.

The person they are looking for will never return.

The children do not yet know their mother is dead.

Just a few days ago, their mother, Lengrung Mro, 26, spent sleepless nights in the same ward, caring for her two sick children. While nursing them, she fell ill herself. She later died on the journey home after leaving the hospital.

A visit to the hospital’s isolation ward yesterday found the two siblings still receiving treatment on the same bed. They appeared weak but unaware of what had happened.

Sitting beside them was their 19-year-old uncle, Krongtong Mro, who is now looking after them.

Krongtong said the family lives in Chinipara village under the remote Goyalenga union of Ruma upazila in Bandarban.

According to him, Lengrung brought her two children, both suffering from measles, to Bandarban Sadar Hospital on July 26. While caring for them, she suddenly fell ill and lost consciousness on July 28.

Doctors advised the family to take her to Chattogram Medical College Hospital after her condition deteriorated. However, the family decided against it because of poverty, language barriers and concerns over treatment costs, he said.

“My elder brother, Krongsong Mro, 28, cannot speak Bangla well. He heard that treatment in Chattogram would be very expensive. So instead of taking his wife there, he decided to return to the village for traditional treatment, leaving the two children in my care,” Krongtong said.

Lengrung died on July 29 after reaching the village. Her funeral was held the following day.

Following his wife’s death, Krongsong also developed a fever and is now bedridden at home. Krongtong has since taken responsibility for caring for the two children at the hospital.

The remote hill areas of Ruma upazila have recently seen a measles outbreak. Poor transport links, poverty, delayed access to treatment and gaps in vaccination have left children from the Mro and other ethnic communities particularly vulnerable.

According to Bandarban Sadar Hospital, 24 measles patients are currently receiving treatment in the isolation ward, including 15 children, six women and three men.

Dongwai and Kainwai continue to receive treatment, still unaware that the mother who cared for them until she fell ill will not return.