Schoolgirl Dies Following Fatal Snakebite Whilst Sleeping in Abhaynagar

A tragic incident has claimed the life of an eight-year-old schoolgirl, Jerin Khatun, who was bitten by a venomous snake whilst sleeping in her home in the Abhaynagar upazila of Jessore. The heartbreaking event occurred early on Monday morning, 13 June, in the Sardarpara area of Singgari village under the Baghutia union.

Jerin, a third-grade student at the local Chakai Moricha Pre-Cadet School, was the only child of Josim Uddin Sardar and Nazmin Nahar. Family members described her as the focal point of their affection, and her sudden demise has cast a profound shroud of grief over the entire neighbourhood.

According to family sources, Jerin had gone to sleep on Sunday night after finishing her dinner, completely unaware of the looming danger. Sometime during the early hours of Monday, a venomous snake entered the house and bit the sleeping child. Shortly after, she woke up feeling severely ill. Realising the gravity of the situation, her distressed family rushed her to the local Singgari Mother and Child Health Centre.

The medical response, however, came too late. Upon arrival, the duty physician examined the young girl and pronounced her dead. Medical staff confirmed that Jerin had already succumbed to the venom before reaching the hospital facility.

The tragedy highlights a persistent hazard faced by rural communities during the wet season. Jerin’s father, Josim Uddin Sardar, explained that continuous rainfall over the preceding few days had caused significant waterlogging around their residence. This displacement of natural habitats routinely forces snakes out of the bushes and into residential properties in search of dry shelter. He believes a snake entered their home due to the flooding and bit his daughter whilst she was asleep.

“We never imagined such a catastrophe could strike in the early hours,” her father lamented. “We tried to get her medical help as fast as we could, but we simply could not save our daughter.”

Local residents noted that snake encounters inevitably surge across Jessore and wider regions of Bangladesh during the monsoon season. Low-lying and waterlogged areas face the highest risk of wildlife entering households. Experts regularly advise keeping residential perimeters clear of debris, using mosquito nets, and thoroughly checking bedding before sleeping to minimise such hazards.

Md Nuruzzaman, the Officer-in-Charge of Abhaynagar Police Station, confirmed the details of the incident. He stated that an unnatural death case has been formally registered with the station regarding the schoolgirl’s passing. Local community leaders are now urging increased vigilance amongst families to protect young children from similar environmental dangers during the rainy season.