Two Construction Workers Suffocate in Patuakhali

Two construction workers died after entering an under-construction septic tank in the Patuakhali Sadar Upazila. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, 17 June 2026, in the Chouddaburia area of Komalapur Union within the upazila. Local authorities suspect that the fatalities were caused by the inhalation of toxic gases accumulated within the confined structure.

Sequence of the Incident

The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Nuhu, aged 25, son of Abdur Razzak Fakir from the Sikder residence in Chouddaburia, and Mohammad Ashraf Chowkidar, aged 45, who resided in the same locality.

According to local accounts, the incident began when Nuhu entered the newly constructed septic tank to carry out routine construction work. Shortly after descending, he became severely ill due to the lack of oxygen and suddenly lost consciousness inside the tank.

Upon noticing Nuhu’s condition and his lack of responsiveness, Ashraf Chowkidar (also referred to locally as Ashraf Molla) immediately descended into the tank in an attempt to rescue him. However, due to the hazardous atmospheric conditions within the enclosed space, he also lost consciousness shortly after entry.

Rescue Recovery and Police Investigation

Local residents eventually realised that the two workers were trapped inside the structure. Because the opening of the tank was too narrow to extract them easily, the residents had to break open a portion of the concrete structure to create an extraction point. Although both individuals were successfully pulled out of the tank, they had already succumbed to their injuries by the time they were recovered.

While local residents suspect that the deaths were caused by suffocation from toxic gases built up inside the unventilated tank, law enforcement officials have stated that the precise cause of death will only be formally established once the post-mortem examination results are complete.

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, Md. Moniruzzaman, confirmed that law enforcement had been formally notified of the accident. He stated that police officers were deployed to the scene to gather relevant evidence and information. He added that necessary legal procedures would be initiated following the completion of the initial investigation.

Summary of the Incident and Victim Profiles

The table below provides a structured overview of the verified facts regarding the fatal accident in Patuakhali Sadar:

Standard administrative protocols are currently being overseen by the local police, and the bodies are being processed for post-mortem examinations to verify the precise medical cause of death before being released to their respective families for burial.