A devastating sequence of events has unfolded in Kurigram’s Ulipur upazila, where two young children lost their lives in separate drowning incidents on a single morning. A fifteen-month-old infant was also critically injured in a related accident, leaving local families and communities in deep mourning.
The tragedies occurred between half past eight in the morning and midday across three distinct areas of the upazila. The deceased have been identified as four-year-old Arman, son of Yunus Ali from the Paschim Naodanga neighbourhood within Ulipur municipality, and three-year-old Masud Rana, son of Nur Alam from Umanand village in Tabakpur Union.
According to local accounts, young Masud Rana was playing near his home when he wandered away from family supervision. He slipped into an adjacent pond unnoticed. Relatives launched an urgent search after realising he was missing and eventually pulled him from the water. They rushed him straight to the Ulipur Upazila Health Complex, but attending physicians confirmed he had already passed away before arrival.
A nearly identical tragedy struck in Paschim Naodanga shortly afterwards. Four-year-old Arman had been playing outside his family residence when he strayed towards a nearby pond. After family members and neighbours discovered him in the water, they rushed him to the local hospital, where doctors officially pronounced him dead.
Meanwhile, a third incident earlier that morning left a toddler fighting for her safety. Fifteen-month-old Sumaiya Khatun, daughter of Rezwan from Doklapara village in Daldalia Union, fell into a body of water at approximately half past eight. Family members pulled her out and took her to the Ulipur Upazila Health Complex. As her clinical condition deteriorated rapidly, medical staff transferred her urgently to the Kurigram General Hospital for advanced care.
Dr Tanzirul Islam, resident medical officer at the Ulipur Upazila Health Complex, confirmed the harrowing timeline. He noted that both Masud Rana and Arman were brought in lifeless, whilst little Sumaiya required immediate transfer due to the severity of her condition.
Law enforcement officials responded swiftly to the developments. Officer-in-Charge Saeed Ibne Siddique of Ulipur Police Station explained that because Masud Rana’s family raised no formal objections, authorities completed the necessary legal procedures before handing his body over to relatives, with a formal unnatural death case filed. Police teams also visited the site of Arman’s drowning to investigate the circumstances on the ground.
These recurring accidents highlight the ongoing vulnerability of rural toddlers living near open water bodies. Ponds, ditches, and stagnant water sources surrounding homesteads present constant hazards during moments of lost adult attention. Child safety advocates and public health specialists repeatedly urge rural households to maintain rigorous supervision, fence off dangerous water margins, and keep toddlers safely contained indoors to prevent further avoidable tragedies.
