A 30-year-old man and his 13-year-old daughter have died after allegedly consuming a poisonous substance in Kajipur upazila of Sirajganj, following reported family tensions. The incident took place on Monday, 19 October, in the Hawladar Para area of Tarakandi village, under Shubhgachha Union.
The deceased have been identified as Ram Prasad Haldar, a fisherman, and his daughter Kiran Mala, a fourth-grade pupil at Banglabazar Government Primary School. Ram Prasad was the son of Sona Prasad, a resident of Tarakandi village.
According to police sources, the father and daughter fell seriously ill after consuming a liquid pesticide on Monday. They were initially taken to Kajipur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors assessed their conditions as critical and referred them to Sirajganj Medical College Hospital for further treatment.
Kiran Mala died on the way to the hospital. Her father was admitted for treatment but died later that afternoon, according to the information provided by the police.
Preliminary accounts suggest that family discord may have been a factor in the incident. Local residents said Ram Prasad had been experiencing prolonged tensions with his second wife, Hawsi Rani. Arguments reportedly intensified in the days leading up to the incident. According to neighbours, Ram Prasad had been sleeping on the veranda of the house rather than inside the home during this period.
Local accounts also indicate that the father and daughter had spent a considerable amount of time at a Durga Puja pavilion in the neighbourhood before returning home late at night. It has been alleged that they subsequently consumed a poisonous substance mixed with a soft drink. However, the precise circumstances surrounding the incident and the reasons behind their actions have yet to be established through an investigation.
The deaths have raised concerns among local residents, particularly because the incident involved a school-age child. While reports of family disputes have emerged, the underlying circumstances remain subject to police investigation. The available information does not, by itself, establish the full sequence of events or conclusively determine the cause of the deaths.
Kajipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdur Razzak confirmed the incident. He said an unnatural death case had been registered in connection with the deaths. Following the preparation of inquest reports, both bodies were sent to Sirajganj Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
The post-mortem findings and the police investigation are expected to help establish the circumstances and medical causes of the deaths. Authorities have not provided further details about the investigation in the information available so far.
