Two-Year-Old Sajid Missing After 28 Hours in Deep Borehole Rescue Operation

The search for two-year-old Sajid, who fell into a deep tube well borehole in Tanore Upazila, Rajshahi, has proved fruitless, with no trace of the child found despite a continuous 28-hour rescue operation. Fire Service personnel meticulously searched the shaft, lowering cameras down to a depth of 42 feet, but were unable to ascertain the child’s location.

On Thursday afternoon (11 December), the Fire Service informed the media that efforts have now transitioned to large-scale excavation of the surrounding earth. Officials conveyed that successfully retrieving the child may require a further, potentially lengthy, duration of rescue work.

Fire Service crews are persevering with their non-stop efforts, prioritising the recovery of the child in an unharmed condition. The complex rescue operation has mobilised eight dedicated units of the Fire Service. Three powerful excavators are being deployed to accelerate the digging process and remove the soil around the narrow borehole where the child is trapped.

The distressing incident took place at approximately 12:30 PM on Wednesday (10 December) in the Koelhat Purvapara village, situated in the Pachandar Union of Tanore Upazila. The victim, Sajid, is the son of Rakib Uddin and resides in Purvapara village.

As the latest, most exhaustive attempt to reach the child, the three excavators have been digging extensively into the soil adjacent to the main shaft. Rescue personnel are attempting to carve out a horizontal tunnel from this excavated area, aiming to gain entry into the narrow tube well hole where the child is believed to be located. However, the teams are encountering considerable difficulty, with their progress significantly impeded by the substantial volume of mud and water that has accumulated inside the shaft.

Earlier attempts, which stretched into the deep hours of Wednesday night, saw Fire Service workers repeatedly lowering specialist cameras into the borehole. Despite these efforts, they could not clearly identify the child, as the internal view was obscured by soil that had collapsed from the surface, mixed with debris and straw that had fallen into the narrow cavity.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Taijul Islam, Director (Operations) of the Fire Service, provided an update on the technical challenges, stating: “We have failed to find any sign of the child, even at a depth of 42 feet from the ground level. To ensure his safe recovery, there is no viable alternative but to excavate the surrounding soil and create a tunnel to reach him. The Fire Service is now executing this crucial and delicate operation.” He further explained that the narrow aperture of the tube well prevents any direct rescue intervention, compelling the teams to rely on this alternative method of mass excavation. He affirmed that all available technical and humanitarian resources are being dedicated to the mission to recover the child alive. The prolonged search has inevitably caused intense distress and anxiety among the local populace.