Two children drowned in the Atrai River in Dinajpur’s Sadar upazila after they went swimming on Wednesday afternoon. Their bodies were recovered several hours apart, bringing a tragic end to a search operation involving local residents, the fire service and divers from Rangpur.
The deceased were identified as 12-year-old Shormi Islam, daughter of Shafiqul Islam, and 10-year-old Brishti, daughter of Babul. Both were residents of Hargan village in Sundarban Union of Dinajpur Sadar. Shormi was a Class Seven student, while Brishti was studying in Class Five.
According to local sources, the three girls went to the Atrai River at around 2.30pm on Wednesday to bathe. They entered the water near the sluice gate in the Beguntara area of Bhushir Bandar. At one point, all three got into difficulty in the river.
One of the girls managed to swim back to safety, while Shormi and Brishti were swept under the water.
The girl who reached the bank raised the alarm. Hearing her cries, local residents rushed to the river and began searching for the missing children. Several people entered the water and continued looking for them, but the initial search did not locate either child.
The matter was subsequently reported to Kotwali Police Station. Police informed the Dinajpur Fire Service, and a rescue team arrived at the scene and began searching the river. Later, divers from Rangpur joined the operation as efforts continued into the evening and early hours of Thursday.
Shormi’s body was recovered at around 8pm on Wednesday from the area where the girls had entered the river.
Brishti remained missing overnight. Her body was eventually recovered at around 5.30am on Thursday from the Jhanjira Firingi Ghat, approximately five kilometres downstream from the original location.
Nasirul Islam, a former chairman of neighbouring Sundarpur Union, said the girls had gone to the river together and that local people immediately began searching after learning that two of them had disappeared beneath the water.
The recovery operation continued with the involvement of the fire service and specialist divers before both children were brought back from the river.
Mohammad Nur Nabi, officer-in-charge of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station, said the two children were buried side by side in their family graveyard after their funeral prayers at around 9.30am on Thursday.
The deaths have left the two families and residents of Hargan village mourning. The incident also highlights the risks children can face when entering rivers, particularly where water depth and currents can change quickly. For families living near rivers and other open water bodies, supervision and awareness of local water conditions remain important safeguards for children.
