Terrifying Rescue: Two-Year-Old Trapped 35 Feet Underground

A dramatic and heart-wrenching rescue operation is underway in Tanore Upazila, Rajshahi, as firefighters and civil defence teams struggle to save two-year-old Sajid, who fell into a narrow pit 35 feet deep. Despite an exhaustive 20-hour effort by three units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the child has not yet been recovered.

Sajid slipped into the pit, which has a diameter of only eight inches, on Wednesday, 10 December, at around 1:15 pm in Koelhat Purba Para, Pachandar Union. The incident occurred while the toddler’s mother was collecting straw from a nearby paddy field, and the child, playing nearby, accidentally fell into the pre-existing hole.

The boy’s father, Rakibul Islam, a resident of Koelhat Purba Para, reportedly rushed to help, but villagers’ initial attempts to rescue Sajid were unsuccessful, and the Fire Service was immediately alerted.

Assistant Director Didarul Islam of the Rajshahi Fire Station confirmed on Thursday morning at 9:30 am that rescue efforts had been underway since Wednesday afternoon. “Local residents had attempted to rescue him before our teams arrived, which caused some soil to fall into the hole,” he said. Three Fire Service units from Tanore, Chapainawabganj, and Rajshahi Sadar have been involved in the ongoing operation.

To sustain the child while rescue teams work, oxygen is being supplied through pipes directly into the pit. Excavation with a mechanical excavator has been completed, but authorities warn that it could still take another two to three hours to reach him safely.

According to locals, the pit belongs to a field owned by Kachir Uddin, who had attempted to install a semi-deep tube well for irrigation a year ago. The well installation failed due to a lack of water, leaving the eight-inch-wide borehole abandoned for the past year.

The villagers described the rescue as a tense, painstaking operation. “We are doing everything we can to keep him alive,” said a firefighter. The situation has drawn significant local attention, with neighbours anxiously watching as the operation continues.

Authorities have emphasised that the child’s survival depends entirely on swift and careful excavation, while ensuring the pit does not collapse further. Emergency medical teams are on standby to provide immediate treatment once Sajid is brought to the surface.

The nation now waits with bated breath, hoping for a miracle as Sajid’s family and rescuers continue their struggle against time and the unforgiving soil.