BMW M1 smash: Father's bedside vigil for critically ill passenger
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05 December 2012
The father of a critically ill victim of the BMW crash on the M1 which claimed the lives of two of his friends was today praying for his son’s recovery as the family maintained a bedside vigil.
Raihan Islam, 25, a youth worker from the East End, has punctured lungs and kidney damage and is being kept in a medically-induced coma at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.
His father Nurul, 54, said: “The whole accident was unexpected and we’re praying for a speedy recovery. I send my condolences to the families of the deceased.”
Five others were injured when two BMWs collided near Watford at 2.30am on Monday. Raihan was the front-seat passenger in the BMW being driven by father of one Mizanur Rahman, 24, who was killed along with Gulzar Ahmed, 22.
Mr Islam, a housing officer, spoke to the Standard through a family friend, Salman Farsi, whose brother-in-law Imran Hoque - travelling in the same car - is also in a critical condition.
Mr Farsi, 27, an East London Mosque press officer, said: “I saw Raihan and he was on a respirator.
"He was bruised all over his face and had cuts to his hand, a laceration on his face and he looked like he’d been stitched up.”
Mr Islam is well known in the tightly-knit Bangladeshi community for his work, which includes mediating between gangs for youth charity the Osmani Trust, Mr Farsi added.
He said: “He is very active in the community. Just last Saturday he was taking part in a Save Banglatown event in Altab Ali Park. Both he and Imran were really fortunate because they only narrowly escaped death as the impact happened on the driver side.”
Mr Hoque, 24, a father of two, suffered head injuries and was in a medically induced coma until yesterday.
His family are maintaining a bedside vigil and he is said to be mute and suffering from shock.
Speaking from Mr Hoque’s bedside last night, Mr Farsi said: “He’s not talking at the moment. I think he’s in a state of shock. He was not aware until today that two of his friends have passed away. Although he’s not talking he is able to acknowledge people that talk to him.”
Mr Hoque’s father Shamsul, 50, said: “I am extremely grateful that Imran is alive but extremely saddened by the bereavement of the other families.”
Mr Farsi said he hoped the police investigation would find answers to what happened, adding: “We’d like to know as everything is a bit sketchy and unclear at the moment.”
He said families of the two dead men were making funeral arrangements in accordance with Islamic tradition, which stipulates that burials must take place as soon as possible after death.
Mentions of the dead and injured men are expected to be made at prayers at the East London Mosque in Whitechapel on Friday.
Yesterday Mr Ahmed’s father paid tribute to his “wonderful” and “popular” son.
Today Mr Rahman’s family declined to speak when approached by the Standard.
The other four injured men were all travelling in the other BMW.