Infant Abducted in Bhola Shock Incident

In a deeply alarming incident in Bhola Sadar Upazila, a three-and-a-half-month-old baby girl named Jidni was abducted after her mother was rendered unconscious by a sedative. The episode occurred on Wednesday morning, 25 February, at Malerhat Bridge in the West Elisha Union, while the mother was taking her child for routine vaccination.

Jidni is the third child of Sumaya Begum and Abdur Rob, residents of Charpata village in the same union. According to family sources, nearly five hours after the incident, Sumaya Begum had not yet regained consciousness. She has been admitted to Bhola 250-Bed General Hospital for medical care.

Upon receiving news of the abduction, multiple units of the Bangladesh Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Coast Guard immediately visited the scene and launched a search operation to locate the missing infant.

According to police and family accounts, Sumaya Begum was walking to the nearby Malerhat Community Clinic with her baby for vaccination when two women approached her on the bridge. They engaged her in conversation and, at one point, handed her a 200-taka note. It is believed that the note was laced with a sedative. Moments after receiving the note, Sumaya Begum collapsed. The abductors then took Jidni and fled in an auto-rickshaw, leaving the mother unconscious near a relative’s house beside the bridge.

Family members immediately began searching for the child, but as of 3:00 pm, the infant’s whereabouts remained unknown. Jidni’s maternal uncle, Md. Josim Chakladar, told reporters that the incident appeared carefully orchestrated: “The two women approached my sister-in-law in a friendly manner. As soon as she took the money, she lost consciousness, and they escaped with the baby.”

The family has appealed to law enforcement for urgent intervention. Bhola Sadar Model Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (Investigation), Md. Zia Uddin, confirmed that police have set up check posts and conducted public announcements through loudspeakers in the area. He added that every possible step is being taken to recover the child safely.

Experts note that such incidents underscore the need for heightened public awareness, especially in rural areas, and caution against accepting items from strangers. Rapid reporting to authorities and vigilance on travel routes can significantly reduce the risk of child abduction.

A summary of the incident is provided below:

Authorities continue to urge locals to remain vigilant and provide any information that may aid in the child’s swift recovery.