A five-year-old boy has died in Faridpur after a venomous snake bite was initially mistaken for a harmless insect or frog bite, leading to a critical delay in receiving proper medical treatment.
The incident occurred in Char Bhadrason upazila of Faridpur, where the child, Sheikh Abdullah, was playing near his home on Saturday morning (20 June). He was the youngest of three siblings, the son of Sheikh Shahed from Char Amrapur village under Gazirtek Union.
According to family accounts, around 9:00 am, Abdullah was playing behind the house when he was bitten on the foot by a venomous snake concealed beneath a concrete slab. In the immediate aftermath, the child returned home and told his mother that he had been bitten by a “frog,” a misunderstanding that later proved fatal.
Believing the injury to be minor, the family did not initially seek formal medical treatment. Instead, they took the child to a local traditional healer, commonly referred to as a spiritual practitioner. Family members said the healer examined the child and claimed it was not a snakebite, which reassured them temporarily and delayed hospital intervention.
However, Abdullah’s condition deteriorated rapidly within a short period. As his symptoms worsened, the family rushed him to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors attempted emergency treatment. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead around noon while undergoing care.
Relatives and local representatives described the incident as deeply tragic, highlighting how early misinterpretation of snakebite symptoms contributed to the fatal delay.
A timeline of the incident is summarised below:
Time
Event
09:00 am
Child bitten by venomous snake while playing near home
Shortly after
Child reports being bitten by a “frog”
Morning
Taken to local traditional healer instead of hospital
Mid-morning
Condition begins to worsen significantly
Late morning
Rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital
Around 12:00 pm
Child declared dead by doctors
Local Union Parishad Chairman Yakub Ali confirmed that the child was first taken to a traditional healer before being brought to the hospital once his condition deteriorated. He described the death as unfortunate and preventable with timely medical intervention.
Medical professionals consistently warn that any suspected snakebite should be treated as a medical emergency, as delays—even of a few hours—can significantly increase the risk of death, particularly in cases involving venomous species.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the dangers of relying on informal treatment methods in rural areas when urgent hospital care is required.
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