Two Children Tragically Drown in Gaibandha Canal

GAIBANDHA — In a heartbreaking incident on Thursday, 19 March, two young children lost their lives after drowning in a canal in Chuniakandi village of Badiakhali Union, Gaibandha Sadar Upazila.

The victims have been identified as Anuruddha Chandra, aged 7, son of Noschandra, and Apoorva Chandra, aged 4, son of Robin Chandra. Sana Mia, a member of Ward No. 1 of Badiakhali Union Parishad, confirmed the incident to local reporters.

According to Ms Mia, the tragedy occurred around 12:30 pm when the children, along with several others, were playing near the temple courtyard close to their homes. During playtime, Anuruddha and Apoorva went to the canal near the temple to fetch water in bottles. Meanwhile, the other children returned to their respective homes.

When the two children did not return for an extended period, their families began searching for them. Eventually, they learned from their friends that Anuruddha and Apoorva had gone to collect water from the canal. Family members immediately rushed to the waterbody, where they tragically recovered the children’s lifeless bodies.

The Gaibandha Sadar police station officer-in-charge, Abdullah Al Mamun, confirmed that police personnel had been dispatched to the site. Investigations are underway to ascertain the exact circumstances that led to the drowning. Authorities have urged local residents to exercise caution near water bodies, especially with young children.

Summary of Incident

Residents of Chuniakandi village expressed profound grief over the loss, describing the event as “tragic and unimaginable.” Local authorities have reiterated the importance of supervising children near open water sources and have called for community awareness campaigns to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This incident adds to a growing concern in rural Gaibandha, where open canals and ponds pose significant safety risks for children. Community leaders have proposed installing safety barriers and conducting awareness programmes to ensure that such preventable tragedies do not recur.